The returning officers have accepted a total of 1,985 nomination papers and rejected 731 others submitted by aspirants in the country’s 300 constituencies to run in the 12th parliamentary elections scheduled to be held on January 7.
“Out of 2,716 nomination papers submitted throughout the country, a total of 1,985 have been accepted and 731 others have been rejected,” Additional Secretary of Election Commission Secretariat Ashok Kumar Debnath told reporters on Monday evening.
The returning officers on Monday completed the scrutiny of nomination papers submitted in the 300 constituencies, starting from last Friday.
Deputy Secretary of EC Secretariat Mahbubar Rahman said the most of 731 nomination papers were rejected on three grounds -- mismatch in 1 per cent voters’ signatures submitted by independent aspirants, loans and utility bills defaults and dual citizenship.
Now the aggrieved aspirants can appeal before the EC from Tuesday, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over rejection or acceptance of nomination papers.
The EC has already installed 10 booths in Nirbachan Bhaban in the city to receive the appeals from the aspirants till December 09.
The appeals will be received from 10:30am to 4pm every day till December 09. The appeals will be disposed of from December 10 to December 15. The EC will hear and dispose of some 100 appeals a day.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 17 and the returning officers will distribute electoral symbols among the contenders on December 18.
The candidates can go for electioneering from December 18 to January 5 (8am), 48 hours before the balloting, which will continue from 8am to 4pm without any recess on January 7.
“Send proposals to transfer OCs by Dec 08’
The EC has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to send its proposals to transfer officers-in-charge (OCs) of all police stations by December 08 in order to conduct the polls.
The commission made the directive in a letter sent to the Public Security Division of the Home Ministry on Monday.
In the letter, the EC said it will have to send proposals by December 08 instead of December 05 for phased transfer of the OCs of all police stations.
Earlier, the commission asked the ministry to transfer OC of all police stations across the country in phases to hold the upcoming national election fairly.
The EC directed that the OCs who discharged duties at their respective police stations for over six months should be transferred in the first phase.
EC approves transfer of 47 UNOs
The EC has approved proposal of the Ministry of Public Administration to transfer 47 Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) across the country.
The commission’s additional secretary confirmed the development on Monday.
The commission has approved the transfer proposal of 47 UNOCs while proposals for 20 others await its nod, he added.
Asked about possible numbers, the EC secretary said, more than 250 UNOs will be transferred.
Besides, approximately 320 OCs may get transferred, added the EC official.
On December 30, the EC asked the Home Ministry and Public Administration Ministry to transfer all OCs and UNOs in phases to conduct the 12th parliamentary elections.
The EC also directed the ministries to seek its permission for transferring OCs stationed for more than six months and UNOs served in the respective workplace for more than a year by December 5.
