The country’s political landscape is expected to heat up soon as the candidates of December-30 municipal polls are getting ready to kick off their campaigns on Wednesday. “The candidates of 234 municipalities can begin their campaigns on Wednesday (Dec 9) without election symbols,” said Election Commission Secretary Sirazul Islam on Monday.
As per the election code of conduct, the electioneering in favour of any candidate cannot be launched three weeks before the election date.
Over 13,000 candidates in 234 municipalities out of total 323 can carry out their electioneering till December 28 midnight.
The Election Commission will issue a press release on Tuesday to clarify the date over starting the electioneering, said Director (Public Relations) of EC Secretariat SM Asaduzzaman.
The municipal election is being held along party lines partially for the first time in the country. Some 20 registered political parties have joined the election race fielding a total of 711 candidates for mayoral posts.
As per EC statistics, a total of 13,634 mayoral and councillor aspirants filed nomination papers in 234 municipalities to vie for 3,147 mayoral and councillor posts of the local government bodies.
Of them, 1213 are mayoral aspirants against 234 posts, while 9760 general councillor aspirants against 2183 posts and 2661 are women councillor hopefuls against 730 reserved seats.
EC officials said some 900 candidates, including at least 135 mayoral aspirants, got their nomination papers cancelled on various grounds during the two-day scrutiny that ended on Sunday.
The aggrieved candidates can file appeal with the Appellate Authorities –Deputy Commissioner of districts — challenging the cancellation of their nomination papers.
The Appellate Authorities will have to dispose of the appeals by December 12, a day before the December-13 deadline for withdrawal of candidature.
