The Election Commission on Wednesday rejected an appeal challenging the validity of BNP nominated candidate for Cumilla-6 Monirul Haque Chowdhury in the upcoming national election.

Independent candidate and BNP leader Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid for Cumilla-6 filed the petition with the EC, which is the Electoral Appeal Tribunal, against the acceptance of the nomination paper of Monirul Haque during the scrutiny.

In the petition, former MP Amin Ur Rashid alleged that Monirul Haque concealed the information of bank loans and wife’s assets in the affidavit filed with the nomination paper.

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During the petition, the Election Commission, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, declared that the nomination paper of Monirul Haque to remain valid.

A total of 100 petitions were placed for hearing on Wednesday. Upon hearing the appeals, most of the petitions were granted.

The Commission will hear and settle 645 appeal petitions by January 18 next, which were filed by aggrieved persons against the acceptance and cancellation of the nomination papers by the returning officers during the scrutiny.

A total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to run the upcoming national election from the country’s 300 constituencies within the December-29 deadline.

The returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid, while 723 others invalid during the scrutiny.

The Election Commission on December 11 announced the polls schedule to arrange the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.

According to the schedule, the late date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till (7:30am on February 10) 48 hours before the balloting period.