A total of 1,967 candidates, both party‑nominated and independent, are contesting in the 13th national election.
According to the Election Commission, 20 January (Tuesday) was the final day for withdrawal of candidacy, when 305 candidates stepped down from 298 constituencies. However, the process of finalising candidates in Pabna‑1 and Pabna‑2 constituencies is still ongoing.
The EC has said that 51 political parties are participating in this election. While most contestants are party candidates, more than a hundred independents have also entered the race.
The deadline for submitting nomination papers was 29 December. By that time, 2,585 nomination papers had been filed across 300 constituencies. During scrutiny between 30 December and 4 January, 726 nomination papers were rejected, leaving 1,858 valid candidates.
Appeals against the returning officers’ decisions began on 5 January. By 9 January, a total of 645 appeals had been filed. Hearings on these appeals ran from 10 January to 18 January. Of the 645 appeals, 431 candidates regained their candidacy. By the final day of hearings on 18 January, the total number of valid candidates stood at 2,289.
Meanwhile, due to the announcement of a revised schedule for Pabna‑1 and Pabna‑2 constituencies, 11 previously valid candidates will be excluded from the list.
As per the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division directive, the EC set 17 January as the final day for submitting nomination papers in these two constituencies under the revised schedule. On that day, seven nomination papers were filed in Pabna‑1 and five in Pabna‑2.
Scrutiny of nomination papers in these constituencies took place on 19 January. Appeals against the returning officers’ decisions can be filed between 20 January and 24 January, with disposal scheduled for 25 January. The last date for withdrawal of candidacy is 26 January, and election symbols will be allocated on 27 January.
