BNP nominated candidate from Chattogram-8, M Morshed Khan, won the appeal while candidature of Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin from Chattogram-5 was cancelled during hearing of the Election Commission (EC) today.

The returning officer (RO) on December 2 rejected Morshed Khan's, former foreign minister, candidature on the ground for non-payment of electricity bills.

Later, he filed an appeal with the EC against the rejection of his candidature by the RO.

Besides Helal, in his immediate reaction after today's hearing, termed the EC’s decision “biased” and said he would file a petition with the High Court against the EC’s rejection order.

The RO earlier cancelled BNP nominated candidate Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin from Chattogram-5 on loan default ground.

The EC on Thursday rejected nomination of Helal’s father Mir Nasir Uddin on the same ground.

Helal and his father, former civil aviation minister of BNP, filed their nomination papers to contest in the polls from the same constituency.

The fate of some heavyweight aspirants like BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad and Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique will be decided during today’s hearing.

BNP leader Amana Ullah Aman and party women front chief Afroza Abbas, Bangladesh National Alliance President Nazmul Huda are also among the petitioners.

The EC resumed the hearing for the three consecutive day of remaining 233 appeals filed against the rejection of their nomination papers by the returning officers.

Of the 233 petitions, the commission so far held hearing on over 74 appeals. Of these appeals, a total of 29 aspirants won the appeals while 37 lost the candidatures.    

HOW MANY APPEALS WERE HEARD ON THURSDAY AND FRIDAY?

The EC on Thursday and Friday held appeals hearings of 310 aspirants. Their nominations had been rejected by the returning officers concerned on December 2.

11TH JS ELECTION SCHEDULE

The 11th general election will be held on December 30.

As per the polls schedule, the deadline for filing the nomination papers was November 28.

The authorities have fixed December 2 for scrutiny and December 9 the last date for nomination withdrawal.