The Election Commission on Thursday declared valid 13 mayoral candidates, out of 14, for contesting the elections to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) slated for January 30, reports UNB.
The lone mayoral candidate whose candidature was declared invalid is Jatiya Party’s GM Kamrul Islam for the DNCC election.
DNCC Returning Officer Abul Kashem declared six mayoral candidatures, including that of Awami League’s Atiqul Islam and BNP’s Tabith Awal,valid while that of Kamrul Islam invalid scrutinising their nomination papers.
He made the announcement at the National Institute of Local Government auditorium in the city’s Agargaon area.
Meanwhile, DSCC Returning Officer Abdul Baten declared valid all the seven mayoral candidates, including that of AL’s Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and BNP’s Ishraque Hossain during the scrutiny at Bir Muktizodda Sadek Hossain Khoka Community Centre in the city’s Gopibagh area.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 9, according to the election schedule declared by the Election Commission on December 22 last.
A total of 14 mayoral candidates filed nominations to contest the two city elections within the deadline expired on Tuesday.
Besides, over 1,000 aspirants filed nominations to contest the election for general councillor posts and reserve seats.
The seven DSCC mayoral valid candidates are Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh (AL), Ishraque Hossain (BNP), Mohammad Saifuddin (Jatiya Party), Maulana Abdur Rahman (Islami Andolan), Bahrane Sultan Bahar (NPP), Akteruzzaman alias Ayatullah (Bangladesh Congress) and Abdus Samad Sujan (Gano Front).
The six DNCC mayoral valid candidates are incumbent mayor Atiqul Islam (AL), Tabith Awal (BNP), Ahammad Sazedul Haque (CPB), Shahin Khan (PDP), Fazle Bari Masud (Islami Andolan) and Anisur Rahman Dewan (NPP).
The entire election will be held using electronic voting machines (EVMs) instead of traditional ballot papers and two army personnel will be there in every polling station to safeguard the voting machines.
In the upcoming January-30 elections, some 58 lakh people –-3,035,621 in DNCC and 2,767,488 in DSCC-- will have the opportunity to exercise their franchise under the two cities.
The number of possible polling stations is 1,349 under 54 wards in the DNCC election, while 1,124 under 75 wards in the DSCC polls.
The last elections to both the city corporations of the capital were held on April 28, 2015.