347 candidates withdraw from electoral race, leaving 1896 contenders

As many as 347 contenders have withdrawn of their own accord from contention in the next general election, with the deadline for withdrawal passing on Sunday. 

It leaves the number of valid contestants at 1896 for the January 7 poll.

“A total of 347 candidates withdrew candidacy… now the total number of valid candidates is 1896,” said Election Commission’s Secretary Md Jahangir Alam while briefing reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the city on Sunday night.

The candidacy of five aspirants remain pending, he said, adding that 27 political parties are running the 12th parliamentary election.

Out of 44 registered political parties, BNP and some others are boycotting the general election.

The returning officers will allocate electoral symbols among contenders on Monday. Then the candidates can start electioneering and continue the electoral campaign till January 5 (8am), 48 hours before the balloting, which will continue from 8 am to 4pm without any recess on January 7.

Earlier, a total of 2,716 aspirants including 747 independents submitted nomination papers in 300 constituencies throughout the country to run the 12th national election.

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

Some 270 aspirants got back their candidacy in the national election slated for January 7 next as the Election Commission on Friday completed the disposal of appeals filed by aggrieved aspirants against the cancellation or acceptance of nomination papers by the returning officers.

Besides, the commission scrapped the candidacy of five aspirants whose nomination papers were earlier declared valid by the returning officers.