Staff Reporter:
The formal scrutiny process of nomination papers submitted by candidates for the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election began yesterday.
As per the schedule of the Election Commission (EC), the scrutiny of the nomination papers started yes-terday and it will continue until January 4.
Sources at the EC secretariat said that a total of 2,582 candidates have submitted their nomination papers to contest in country’s 300 parliamentary constituencies.
According to EC data, the highest numbers of nomination papers were submitted in the Dhaka region, while the lowest in the Faridpur region.
A total of 444 nomination papers were submitted in Dhaka region for 41 constituencies, 365 in Cumilla region for 35 constituencies, 311 in Mymensingh region for 38 constituencies, 278 in Rangpur region for 33 constituencies, 276 in Khulna region for 36 constituencies, 260 in Rajshahi region for 39 constit-uencies, in Chattogram region for 23 constituencies, 166 in Barishal region for 21 constituencies, 146 in Sylhet region for 19 constituencies and 142 in Faridpur region for 15 constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin announced the election schedule on December 11 in a televised address to the nation. Later, in a revised gazette issued on December 18, the EC reduced the time for filing appeals by two days and extended the time for disposal of appeals by two days.
According to the revised schedule, the scrutiny of nomination papers will be held from yesterday to Jan-uary 4, appeal against rejection will be heard from January 5 to January 9, disposal of appeals will be held from January 10 to January 18, last date for withdrawal of candidacy is January 20 and the election symbols will be allocated on January 21.
The voting will be held on February 12 (Thursday) from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm without any break. Voters will exercise their franchise to elect members of the 13th National Parliament using transparent ballot boxes and ballot papers. A referendum will also be held on the same day.
