The Election Commission (EC) is conducting the concluding day of hearings on appeals against the decisions of returning officers regarding the acceptance and rejection of nomination papers for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election.

The hearing commenced at 10 am today at the EC auditorium (Basement-2) in Agargaon here, with the full commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, is overseeing the proceedings.

As per the EC schedule, appeals numbered 611 to 645, along with previously deferred cases awaiting verdicts, are being heard today. The programme will continue until the afternoon, with a one-hour recess at noon.

On Saturday, the eighth day of hearings, the commission reviewed 112 appeals, of which 45 were accepted.

Director (Public Relations) at the EC Secretariat Md Ruhul Amin Mallik told BSS that on Saturday, 43 appeals filed against the rejection of nomination papers were accepted, resulting in the restoration of candidature of those 43 candidates.

He said the commission also accepted two appeals filed against the acceptance of nomination papers, which will result in the cancellation of the nominations of the concerned two candidates.

On the eighth day, the EC rejected 37 appeals, including 13 filed against rejection of nominations and 24 filed against acceptance of nominations.

Besides, nine appeals were withdrawn during the hearings, while two appellants remained absent. The commission kept 19 appeals pending for verdict, which are to be disposed of today.

A total of 645 appeals were filed with the EC against the decisions on acceptance and rejection of nomination papers in the ongoing election.

On January 4, the last day of scrutiny of nomination papers, returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid and rejected 723 out of a total of 2,568 nomination papers submitted for 300 parliamentary constituencies.