DHAKA, Dec 14, 2023 (BSS) - Forty-four aspirants regained their candidature on the fifth day of appeal hearing as the Election Commission (EC) today disposed of 100 more appeals, taking the total number of regaining candidature to 260 to contest in the next general elections, scheduled to be held on January 7, 2024.

Of the 100 appeals, 52 were rejected by the commission while the results of four appeals will be disclosed later.

Led by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal, the EC delivered the verdicts after reviewing the appeals at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area this afternoon.

Concerned aspirants were present during the appeal hearing with their legal representatives and the essential documents.

Earlier, on the first day of appeal hearing, 56 of the aspirants got back their candidature while 51 on the second and 61 on third day and 48 aspirants got back their candidature on the fourth day of appeal hearing on Wednesday.

The EC will hear the remaining appeals by tomorrow while there is a scope for the aspirants to go to the High Court if they could not be satisfied with EC's decision.

A total of 2,716 aspirants submitted nomination papers to vie in the upcoming 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) elections. Of them, 1,985 nomination papers were accepted and 731 were cancelled by returning officers (ROs) during the scrutiny between December 1 and 4.

Challenging ROs decisions over rejection and acceptance of nomination papers, 561 appeals were lodged with the EC between December 5 and 9.

As per the election schedule, the last date for withdrawing candidature is December 17 while the ROs will distribute election symbols among candidates on December 18.