The High Court has directed the returning officers to receive and scrutinise by today the nomination papers of 13 ward councillor aspirants in Dhaka city corporations' elections.

The HC bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo came up with the orders following eight separate writ petitions filed by the candidates.

The petitions claimed that the returning officers of Dhaka north and south city corporations have refused to receive their nomination papers as they submitted those papers after 5:00pm on March 29, the last time for the submission.

They prayed to the HC to direct the returning officers to receive and scrutinise their nomination papers so that they can contest the elections to be held on April 28.

The candidates are Mahmuda Begum, Shahnaz Habib, Nargis Begum Baby, Mahbub Foyez, Mahfuza Rina, Mollika Zaman Mukta, Lokman Hossain, AKM Nuruzzaman, Md Motiur Rahman, Md Sohrab Hossain, Hasna Begum, Setu Rahman and Aleya Khatun.

Petitioners' counsels Manzill Murshid and AKM Ehsanur Rahman told The Daily Star that their clients went to the offices of the returning officers in time on March 29 to submit their nomination papers, but they could not approach the offices by 5:00pm due to tremendous rush of other candidates and their supporters.

The candidates are willing to contest the polls for the post of ward councilors at different areas of DNCC and DSCC, they said.

The counsels also said the returning officers have to receive and scrutinise their nomination papers following the HC orders.

Talking to The Daily Star, Mihir Sarwar Morshed, returning officer of Dhaka South City Corporation, said they would receive the nominations after getting a copy of the HC order.