EC restores 41 candidacies on third day of appeal hearing, taking total to 150

Highlights:

• EC hears 71 appeals on Day 3
• 41 approved, 24 rejected, four kept pending
• 161 appeals deferred; 157 withdrawn
• EC signals flexibility for independent, young candidates on 1% voter rule

As the 13th National Parliamentary elections approach, the Election Commission (EC) conducted the third day of hearings on appeals against returning officers' decisions, reinstating 41 candidates. Over the three days, a total of 150 candidates have had their nominations restored.

Chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the EC auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka, with four other commissioners present, today, the EC heard appeals from 71 candidates, including one case outside the scheduled 70. 

The EC's Public Relations Division, in a statement signed by Director Md Ruhul Amin Malik, confirmed the outcomes: 41 approved, 24 rejected, and 4 pending. Hearing for the appeal No. 161 from Gono Forum's Sheikh Nasir Uddin (Pabna-2) was not held due to suspended election activities, while Shakila Farzana (Chattogram-5, independent) withdrew Appeal No. 157. Appeals numbered 211–280 are scheduled for today.

AKM Fazlul Haque, Jamaat-e-Islami candidate for Chattogram-9, whose nomination was cancelled over dual citizenship, did not have his candidacy restored. Haque told reporters he has applied to renounce his US citizenship and met with the US Embassy, but the process is ongoing. Additionally, 23 candidates were rejected for various reasons, including loan default.

The Election Commission has approved the appeal of independent candidate Mohammad Dulal for Narayanganj-1, highlighting challenges faced by independent aspirants in verifying voter support. Under election rules, independents must submit signatures from 1% of the constituency's voters. In a random check of 10 names from Dulal's list, eight voters denied signing, while two could not be reached.

Dulal alleged that the opposing candidate had prior knowledge of the selected voters, who were then allegedly intimidated into denying their signatures. He argued that fear drove their responses during verification. At the hearing, Dulal presented two voters in person and submitted supporting documentation for the remaining eight. Following the review, the commission accepted his appeal. One EC commissioner noted, "This will serve as a case study for future verification processes." 

National People's Party candidate Md Hamidul Islam's pending appeal from Mymensingh-4, filed on 11 January, was approved. After attending the third day's appeal hearing, the Jatiya Party Secretary General, Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary, said 21 of the party's candidates have had appeals approved, with nearly ten more waiting for review. 

Pending appeals

The pending appeals include Ganashonghoti Andolon's Fatema Akter (Tangail-5), BNP's Mohammad Fahim Chowdhury (Sherpur-2), Labour Party's Mohammad Rashedul Haque (Dhaka-17), and Mohammad Imam Uddin Riyad (Chattogram-5).

In Kishoreganj-5, independent candidate Sheikh Mojibur Rahman Iqbal's petition to cancel BNP candidate Syed Ehsanul Huda's nomination was rejected. EC Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah stressed that no exemptions will be granted for loan defaulters and that official documents are required for dual citizenship claims. He also noted that the EC is being flexible with independent and young candidates regarding the 1% voter support requirement.

Following the submission of nomination papers for the 12 February election, 1,842 candidates were initially declared valid. A total of 645 appeals have been filed, with hearings scheduled to be resolved by 18 January. 

Candidate withdrawals must be completed by 20 January; the final candidate list and symbols will be published on 21 January. Campaigning will run from 22 January to 7:30am on 10 February, with voting scheduled for 12 February from 7:30am to 4:30pm.