Nomination of 112 cancelled after scrutiny
The nomination of 112 aspirants out of 1,732 were cancelled during the scrutiny in the first phase elections to 98 upazila parishads slated for February 19.
Of the 112, nomination papers of 41 chairman aspirants were rejected while of 48 vice-chairman aspirants and 23 reserved (women) vice-chairman were cancelled, the Election Commission Secretariat sources said.
The respective returning officers cancelled the nomination during scrutiny on Monday.
With this, the number of valid candidates in the 98 upazilas has come down to 1,620 that include 651 chairman candidates, 612 vice-chairman candidates and 357 reserved vice-chairman candidates.
A total of 1,732 candidates — 692 for chairman, 660 for vice-chairman and 380 for reserved vice-chairman — submitted nomination papers within the January 25 deadline to run the polls.
As per the law, if anyone of 112 is aggrieved with the decision of cancellation of nomination, he or she can file petition with the election tribunal challenging the decision.
The commission will dispose of the petition, if any, before February 3, the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
Though the Election Commission found only 540 candidates in the January 5 national election in 300 constituencies, the first phase upazila polls in 98 upazilaf got huge numbers of 1,620 candidates against 294 chairman and vice-chairman posts.
On January 19, the EC announced the first phase of election schedule for 102 upazilas fixing the balloting date for February 19.
Later, polls in four upazilas among the 102 were suspended following a request of the Local Government Ministry as there are delimitation complexities in the upazilas following the formation of Rangpur City Corporation.
The four upazilas are Gangachhara, Kawnia, Pirgachha and Rangpur sadar in Rangpur district.
Besides, the commission on January 23 declared polls schedule for more 117 upazilas fixing the voting date February 27 in the second phase.
There are 487 upazila parishads in the country. Of them, the commission will arrange polls in nearly 480 upazilas before June next.
Source: UNB Connnect
