As many as 51 aspirants got back their candidacy as the Election Commission on Monday heard their petitions and cleared the way for them to contest the upcoming national election on January 07.

With the new 51 aspirants, a total of 107 aspirants have so far got back their candidature in the first two days after the EC on Sunday started hearing and disposing of the appeals submitted against the cancellation or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers (ROs)

On the second day (Monday), the commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal heard a total of 99 petitions lodged against the ROs’ decisions.

Following the hearing of the petitions at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city, the commission declared 51 nomination papers valid, while turned down 41 petitions. The decisions regarding seven petitions remain pending.

Read: Bangladesh gets $400 million from ADB as climate priorities support

Earlier, the EC declared 56 nomination papers as valid, hearing a total of 94 petitions.    

If anyone becomes aggrieved even with the EC’s decision over candidature, the person has scope to go to the higher court, challenging it.

The commission is hearing and disposing of a total of 561 petitions filed by aggrieved aspirants from December 10 to 15.

Most of them lodged petitions against cancellation of nomination papers, while at least 30 aspirants against the acceptance of nomination papers.

Earlier, a total of 2,716 aspirants including 747 independent ones submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies throughout the country to run the 12th national parliamentary election.

But the returning officers accepted 1985 nomination papers and rejected 731 others during the scrutiny conducted on December 1-4.

Read: Momen tells Doha Forum of Bangladesh’s successes in vaccination

Most of the 731 nomination papers were rejected on three grounds - mismatch in the 1pc voters’ signatures submitted by independent aspirants, loans and utility bills defaults, and dual citizenship.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is December 17 and the candidates can go for electioneering from December 18 to January 5 (8am), 48 hours before the balloting, which will continue from 8 am to 4pm without any recess on January 7.

Out of 44 registered political parties, 29 parties are contesting the general election, which is being boycotted by major party BNP and some others.