The Election Commission (EC) has reopened the path to the polls for 275 candidates in the 13th parliamentary elections after hearing appeals against returning officers’ decisions over the past five days. On Wednesday alone, 72 nominations were reinstated while one candidate was disqualified.
The hearing, held at the EC auditorium under the chairmanship of Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, reviewed 100 appeals. EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the commission approved 73 applications, rejected 17, and deferred 10 for later consideration.
“The restored 72 candidates were previously disqualified, while in some cases, appeals against previously valid nominations led to cancellations,” the EC secretary explained. Over the past five days, the commission has heard 380 appeals, approving 277. Another 100 appeals are scheduled for Thursday, with a total of 645 expected to be disposed of by 18 January.
Among the appeals heard Wednesday, the EC dismissed a challenge to BNP candidate Monirul Haque Chowdhury’s nomination in Cumilla-6, allowing him to retain eligibility. Independent candidate and BNP leader Mohammad Aminur Rashid had filed the appeal, alleging concealment of bank loans and spousal assets in Chowdhury’s affidavit.
In other cases, decisions were deferred to 17 January. These include appeals concerning BNP candidates AKM Kamruzzaman (Rajshahi-5) and Dinajpur-5, as well as challenges filed by independent candidates questioning dual citizenship or other discrepancies. Kamruzzaman’s lawyer, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol, said the BNP nominee had formally renounced British citizenship, removing any constitutional barrier to his participation.
The EC also rejected an appeal seeking cancellation of independent Abdul Matin’s candidacy in Cumilla-2, allowing him to contest, while it approved an appeal by a National Party candidate to cancel Shefali Begum’s nomination in Kurigram-4, resulting in her disqualification.
For the 13th national elections, 2,568 candidates filed nominations by 29 December. Returning officers validated 1,842 nominations and rejected 723.
