MUNICIPAL POLLS
28 mayoral nominations cancelled
Scrutiny ends today
The nomination papers of at least 28 mayoral candidates, including five of BNP aspirants in 16 municipalities across the country, were cancelled by the Election Commission (EC) yesterday, on the first day of scrutiny, reports UNB. Besides, two Awami League mayoral candidates of the December-30 polls in Chandpur and Feni are set to be elected unopposed as nomination papers of their lone rival BNP contestants were cancelled during scrutiny.
If the Appellate Authorities, the Deputy Commissioners of the districts, uphold the decisions of the returning officers, the Election Commission will have to declare the two ruling party mayoral aspirants elected uncontested after the December-13 deadline for the withdrawal of candidatures. The five BNP mayoral candidates who got their candidatures rejected are Sarwarul Abedin in Chhengarchar municipality of Chandpur, Fazlur Rahman in Feni municipality, Mustafizur Rahman in Parshuram municipality of Feni, Golam Mohammad Rabbani in Comillas Chauddagram municipality and Shamsur Rahman in Munshiganjs Mirkadim municipality. Meanwhile, in a shocked incident, independent mayoral candidate (known as AL rebel) Enamul Haque in Tangails Gopalpur municipality died after hearing the news of cancellation of his nomination paper. Enamul Haque, a joint secretary of Gopalpur upazila unit of Jubo League, had filed his nomination paper an independent mayoral candidate after having failed to get the partys ticket. Doctors said he might have died of cardiac arrest.
In Chandpur, the returning officer turned down the nomination paper of BNP mayoral candidate in Chhengarchar municipality in Matlab North upazila, for lack of necessary documents and flaws in some documents submitted with the nomination paper.
In Feni, the nominations of two mayoral candidates in Feni Municipality were cancelled while that of another in Parshuram Municipality. The candidates are Fazlur Rahman of BNP, Atiqul Alam (independent) in Feni municipality and Mustafizur Rahman of BNP in Parshuram municipality. In Comilla, BNP mayoral contestant in Chauddagram municipality Golam Rabbanis nomination was declared void as he is a loan defaulter. Besides, Jatiya Party mayoral candidate Korshed Alam and independent one Sahabuddin in the same municipality were also trashed. The respective returning officers of Laksam, Homan and Barua municipalities also cancelled the nominations of four independent mayoral hopefuls and a Jatiya Party candidate. In Mirkadim, returning officer Faisal Kadir announced BNP mayoral contestant Shamsur Rahmans candidature as he dodged tax. Shamshur, however, denied the allegation.
In Magura, independent mayoral candidate Sakharul Islam Shakil in Magura municipality was rejected as he could not provide his partys nomination letter though he claimed to be an AL nominated candidate.
In Kushtia, the scrutiny of nomination papers in four municipalities, out of five, was completed on Saturday, with three mayoral candidates, out of seven, in Kushtia Municipality getting their nominations cancelled. The candidates are KM Zahid of Jatiya Party, Dewan Abdul Khalek of Islami Shasontontro Andolon and Shamimul Hasan Apu, an independent but known as BNPs rebel one.
Besides, the nomination paper of independent mayoral candidate Saiful Haque Khan, known as a BNP rebel, was cancelled in Mirpur Municipality, while independent candidate Ali Asgar scrapped in Bheramara Municipality.
Meanwhile, all the five nomination papers of mayoral aspirants in Khuksha municipality were declared valid.
In Rajshahi, the nomination papers of three mayoral candidates in Aarani Municipality were trashed. They are independent candidates Nazrul Islam, (sitting mayor and BNP rebel), Abdul Matin (known as AL rebel) and Masud Parvez.
In Chuadanga, four mayoral candidates nomination papers in the districts four municipalities were declared invalid. In Bhola, the nomination paper of independent mayoral candidate mayoral candidate Al Amin Khan, known as a BNP rebel, in Bhola Municipality was cancelled. In Sherpur, Jatiya Party candidate Meer Delwar Hossain Dilu who filed his nomination to vie for mayor post in Sherpur Municipality was decaled disqualified as he could not provide his partys nomination letter.
The nomination papers will also be scrutinised on Sunday as the last date for the withdrawal of candidature in December 13. However, the aggrieved candidates will be able to challenge the decisions of the returning officers who cancelled their nominations to the Appellate Authorities within three days of the rejection, while the Appellate Authorities will have to dispose of the appeals within three days after the aggrieved aspirants lodge their petitions. A total of 1,223 mayoral aspirants filed nomination papers across the country to contest the December-30 municipality elections. Besides, 2,668 reserved (women) councillor and 9,798 councillor candidates filed their nominations.
