Some 560 aggrieved aspirants filed appeals before the Election Commission in the five days from December 05-09, challenging the decisions of the returning officers over the cancellation or acceptance of nomination papers submitted to run the upcoming national election slated for January.

The commission will hear and dispose of the appeals from Sunday (December 10) to Friday (December 15).

Seeking overturn of the ROs’ decisions, 42 appeals were submitted with the EC on Tuesday (first day), 141 on Wednesday, 155 on Thursday, 93 on Friday and 131 appeals on Saturday (final day).

Most of the appeals were lodged against the cancellation of nomination papers by the returning officers and only handful number of petitions against the acceptance of nomination papers.

A total of 2,716 aspirants including 747 independent ones submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies throughout the country to run the 12th parliamentary election slated for January 7 next.

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

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 returning officers will distribute electoral symbols among the contenders on December 18.

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