Dhaka: Today marks the final opportunity for candidates to withdraw their candidacy in the forthcoming 13th national elections.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Election Commission (EC) has set a deadline of 5:00 pm today for candidates to retract their nominations. The EC has planned the allotment of election symbols for tomorrow, with the election campaign officially commencing on January 22.
Polling is scheduled for February 12, running from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm without interruption. The elections, along with a concurrent referendum, will utilize transparent ballot boxes and paper ballots for voting.
An EC circular has referenced Article 16 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972, detailing the legal framework for party nominations and withdrawals. The finalized candidate list, arranged in Bangla alphabetical order as per the laws, will be published on January 21 following the distribution of election symbols.
The appeal process against the Returning Officers’ decisions on nominations has concluded. EC reports indicate a total of 645 appeals were submitted, with 425 accepted, 209 rejected, and 11 withdrawn. Appeals were permitted from January 5 to January 9, with hearings conducted from January 10 to January 18.