Tuesday (January 20) marks the final day for candidates to withdraw their nominations in the upcoming national election, which is scheduled to be held on February 12.
Political parties that have fielded more than one candidate in any constituency must inform the respective returning officers of their final nominee by 5:00 pm on Tuesday.
Independent candidates and other candidates nominated by registered political parties will also be able to withdraw their candidacies within the same deadline.
The Article 16 (1) of the Representation of the People Order, 1972 states, “Any validly nominated candidate may, by notice in writing signed by him and delivered, on or before the withdrawal day, to the Returning Officer, either by such candidate in person or by an agent authorised in this behalf in writing by such candidate, withdraw his candidature.”
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The Article 16 (2) of the RPO states, “Where more than one candidate are nominated in the same constituency by a registered political party, the chairman or secretary or a person holding the same rank of the party shall inform, by notice in writing signed by him and delivered, either by himself or by any other person authorized by him in this behalf on or before the withdrawal day, to the Returning Officer, about the final nomination of a candidate and the other candidate of that party shall be ceased to be a candidate.”
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 election schedule, January 20 is the final date for withdrawal of candidatures. The returning officers will publish the final list of candidates and allocate electoral symbols on January 21.
The election campaign will begin on January 22 and will continue until 7:30 am on February 10. Voting will take place on Thursday, February 12, from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm.
According to the EC, more than 2,560 aspirants submitted nomination papers to contest the upcoming national election from the country’s 300 constituencies by the December 29 deadline.
After scrutiny, returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid and rejected 723 others.
Later, aggrieved aspirants and institutions including different banks filed a total of 645 appeals with the Election Commission, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over (acceptance or cancellation of) nomination papers filed by more than 600 aspirants.
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During nine consecutive days of hearings from January 10 to 18 last, some 420 candidates regained their candidacies. Altogether, the number of valid candidates now stands at around 2,250.