Fifty three candidates submitted their nomination papers till 4:00pm on Tuesday for the election to the reserved women’s seats in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad, representing various political parties, alliances and as independents.

Talking to the journalists at the election commission building in Dhaka, returning officer and joint secretary of the commission Md Moin Uddin Khan said that Tuesday was the last date for submitting nomination papers for the candidates contesting the reserved women’s seats in parliament.

According to the schedule, by 4:00pm deadline, 36 nomination papers were received from the BNP and its alliance, 13 from Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its alliance and one from an independent candidate.

He further said that, in addition, three candidates, Shamma Akter, Mosammat Meherunnessa and Mahbuba Rahman, submitted their nomination papers independently, not representing any political party or alliance.

According to the previously announced schedule, the returning officer will scrutinise the submitted nomination papers on April 22 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and on April 23 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Appeals against the nominations can be filed on April 26, while the commission will dispose of the appeals on April 27 and 28. The last date for withdrawal of candidacy is April 29, symbol allocation will take place on April 30, and voting is scheduled for May 12.

In response to a question, the returning officer said that nomination papers of the Jamaat alliance and independent candidates will be scrutinised on April 22, while those of the BNP alliance will be reviewed on April 23.