Staff Correspondent

Candidates, banks, or financial institutions can submit petitions to the Election Commission (EC) challenging the decisions made by returning officers (ROs) regarding the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers starting tomorrow.

The EC came up with the announcement today as the ROs concluded the scrutiny of nomination papers submitted by aspirants for the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections scheduled for January 7.

Individuals or institutions dissatisfied with the decisions made during the scrutiny can file petitions with the EC between December 5 and 9, according to a press release from the EC.

The aggrieved individuals or institutions have to file the appeal to the EC with a main copy of the petition in a memorandum format and six photocopies of it from 10:30 am to 4 pm every day, it said.

The EC has set up 10 booths at the Nirbachan Bhaban here for the country's 10 regions to receive the petitions, the release said, adding that the EC will dismiss 100 petitions as per the serial number every day from December 10 to 15.

After the hearing of the appeals, the verdicts will be displayed on the monitor and the PDF copies of the judgments will be sent to the e-mail accounts of the respective parties, including the ROs and these will be published on the EC website.

The copies of the verdicts will also be distributed by respective officials from the reception desk at the Nirbachan Bhaban.

According to EC officials, a total of 2,712 aspirants, including 1,965 from 29 registered political parties and 747 independents, have submitted nomination papers to contest in the upcoming general elections.

As per the election schedule, the EC will settle petitions lodged challenging ROs' decisions from December 10 to 15 and the last date for withdrawing candidature is December 17.

The ROs will distribute election symbols among candidates on December 18.