JS polls: JaPa nominates 304 candidates, outnumbering AL by one

The Jatiya Party (JaPa) has fielded a total of 304 candidates to run in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad polls, outnumbering the ruling Awami League (AL) by one candidate.

However, none of the parties have nominated candidates in all 300 constituencies, according to Election Commission data.

The ruling party has nominated a total of 303 candidates in 298 seats, leaving  Kushtia-2 and Narayanganj-5 empty. It also filed two candidates each in five constituencies.

On the other hand, the JaPa has fielded candidates in 287 seats, leaving 13 seats empty. The party also nominated two candidates each in 18 seats. 

The deadline for nomination submission for the upcoming national election ended Thursday afternoon. 

The EC will now scrutinise the nomination forms from 1-4 December.

After the scrutiny is done, the candidates will have a 13-day window to withdraw by 17 December.

According to EC data, a huge number of independent candidates, are vying to contest in the upcoming  

A record 747 independent candidates — around six times than the 2018 poll — have submitted their nomination forms to contest in the upcoming parliamentary election slated for 7 January 2024. 

The list of finalised candidates, following the scrutiny of nomination forms by the Election Commission, may see the number decrease slightly. But it is still expected to be higher than the last JS polls.

According to Election Commission data, in 2018, the number of finalised independent candidates was only 129 in all 300 constituencies. The total number of nomination filings was 3,065.

A total of 11,96,91,633 voters under 42,103 polling stations throughout the country are eligible to vote in the 12th general election.