DHAKA: The Election Commission (EC), in its primary scrutiny, announced 80 percent of independent candidates disqualified in the forthcoming municipal polls.

Sources concerned informed banglanews that out of 505 independent candidates from 234 municipal areas, returning officers declared 404 (80 percent) as disqualified after scrutinizing their documents on December 5-6.

Rajib Ahsan, assistant secretary of candidate management of EC’s election management division, told banglanews only 101 candidates were declared qualified runners for the election.

“But the number may increase,” he added.

Source said that those candidates were declared disqualified due to discrepancies and lack of information in the nomination papers.

Election commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Zabed Ali, however, told banglanews that those runners can appeal against the decision.

“If the candidates are right, justice will be done to them,” he added.

For the first time, the country is going to hold municipal election under party banner. However, BNP-led 20-party alliance has nominated their candidates in the poll.

Election of the councilor, however, will be held under non-party symbols.

The EC deputy secretary M Shamsul Alam said that the number of the candidates will be finalized after December 13 which is the last date of the nomination withdrawal.

The returning officers will allocate symbols on June 14. Voting campaign can be started from the day on full scale.

Around 7.2 million voters will get the chance to exercise their franchise rights on December 30.

BDST: 1311 HRS, DEC 08, 2015
AIK/SR/RR/SMS