Nomination scrutiny to continue until 4 January; EC orders strict enforcement of code of conduct

The Election Commission (EC) has directed field administration, executive and judicial magistrates, and law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce the electoral code of conduct at every stage of the election process following the announcement of the schedule for the 13th national parliamentary election.

Responding to a query on Thursday (1 January), Election Commissioner Md Anwarul Islam Sarker told The Business Standard that there would be no relaxation in enforcing the code and that all election-related activities must be carried out in line with the law.

According to EC sources, a total of 2,090 candidates from 51 political parties have submitted nomination papers for the election, while 478 independent candidates have also filed nominations. Altogether, more than 2,500 nomination papers have been submitted for the 300 parliamentary seats.

Nomination scrutiny began on 30 December and will continue until 4 January.

Anwarul Islam Sarkar said the EC was moving forward step by step as per the law and had instructed the field administration to ensure full compliance with the code of conduct.

"Since the announcement of the election schedule, we have not seen large posters, banners, or billboards on the streets, which is a positive development," he said. 

"Political parties are also instructing their leaders and activists to follow the Election Commission's guidelines," he added. 

The EC currently has 59 registered political parties. Of them, eight parties are not participating in the election, including two allies of the now-suspended Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance.

Returning Officer Md Yunus Ali for the Dhaka-13 and Dhaka-15 constituencies told journalists on Thursday (1 January) that nomination scrutiny for those seats would be held at 10:30am on 3 January at the Dhaka District Administration Training Institute. 

"Scrutiny for other Dhaka metropolitan constituencies would also take place on the same day," he said. 

He said candidates, their proposers and supporters, and up to one lawyer appointed by the candidate – a maximum of five people – would be allowed to be present during the scrutiny. Decisions on accepted and rejected nominations will be announced publicly after the process.

"Candidates whose nominations are rejected will have the right to appeal to the Election Commission within the stipulated timeframe," he added.

According to Yunus Ali, nominations may be cancelled under the Representation of the People Order, 1972, for reasons such as loan default, income tax complications, incomplete nomination forms, or lack of legal eligibility. However, if errors are easily correctable, candidates may be given reasonable time under the law to fix them.

Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin announced the election schedule on 11 December. Under the schedule, appeals against returning officers' decisions may be filed from 5 to 11 January, with appeals to be settled between 12 and 18 January.

The final list of candidates will be published and election symbols allocated on 21 January, while the deadline for withdrawal of candidacy is 20 January. Election campaigning will begin on 22 January and continue until 7:30am on 10 February.

Voting for both the parliamentary election and the referendum will be held on 12 February.