Dhaka: The scrutiny of nomination papers by Returning Officers for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad Election will be completed today, marking a significant step in the electoral process. Concurrently, the Election Commission (EC) has released prescribed guidelines for filing appeals against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, appeals can be submitted from January 5 to January 9 until 5:00 pm, as per an EC secretariat statement. The referendum and national polls are scheduled to be held on February 12, 2026. Md Ruhul Amin Mallik, Director of Public Relations at the EC Secretariat, mentioned that following the completion of the scrutiny process today, the Commission will announce the number of nomination papers accepted and rejected nationwide.
Verification of nomination papers for competing candidates is set to continue until January 4. Any candidate, bank, financial institution, government service provider, or authorized representative of a candidate may file an appeal with the Election Commission against the acceptance or rejection of a nomination paper by January 9, 2026, at 5:00 pm.
The appeal application must be directed to the Secretary of the EC Secretariat using the prescribed format, including the date of acceptance or rejection of the nomination, a statement of reasons for the appeal, and a certified copy of the acceptance or rejection order. A total of seven copies of the appeal, including one original, must be submitted at the designated booth of the relevant regional appeal acceptance center of the Election Commission.
For receiving a copy of the decision or verdict, an application must be submitted using the prescribed form, which is available at the central appeal submission booth of the Election Commission. The appellant or a designated representative may collect the copy of the appeal decision.
The Election Commission has scheduled the disposal of appeals submitted against the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers between January 10 and January 18, 2026. The statement further added that registered political parties, their nominated candidates, independent candidates, representatives on their behalf, and government benefit recipients must adhere to the ‘Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates in Parliamentary Elections, 2025’.