Dhaka city polls: 993 aspirants declared valid

The Election Commission today declared 993 aspirants valid after scrutinising the nomination papers submitted for the elections to the Dhaka North and South City Corporations scheduled for January 30.

Of the valid aspirants, 13 are mayoral candidates and 980 are vying for ward councillor posts in the elections to the two city corporations.

Among the mayoral aspirants, six contesting for DNCC and seven for DSCC were declared valid, according to returning office sources.

DNCC returning office declared 359 general ward councillor aspirants and 87 reserved ward councillor aspirants valid while DSCC announced 434 general ward councillor aspirants and 100 reserved ward councillor aspirants qualified for the elections.

Both two returning officers of DNCC and DSCC urged all candidates to abide by the electoral code of conduct. They also warned of taking stern actions if the electoral code of conduct were breached. 

DNCC Returning Officer Abul Kashem said Jatiya Party mayoral candidate Kamrul Islam’s nomination was cancelled as his name was not found in the DNCC voter list.

Total seven aspirants submitted nomination papers for the DNCC mayor post.

Another 15 nomination papers for the ward councillors and two aspirants for reserved women councillors were also cancelled.

A total of 374 aspirants submitted nominations for 54 general ward councillor posts while 89 aspirants submitted their nomination papers for 18 reserved women councillor posts in DNCC.

DSCC RO Abdul Baten said his office declared nomination papers of all the seven candidates in the DSCC mayoral polls valid.

Baten said they have cancelled nominations of 26 aspirants for general ward councillor posts while two aspirants for reserved women councillor posts.

A total of 460 aspirants submitted nominations for 75 general ward councillor posts while 102 for 25 reserved women councillor posts.

Aspirants can lodge appeals to the appellate authority against the decision of returning officers by January 5.