The lack of a congenial election atmosphere was casting doubt over the credibility of the upcoming parliamentary polls, speakers said at a discussion yesterday.

A total of 1841 candidates from different political parties will contest against 300 seats in the 11th parliamentary election scheduled for December 30.

A total of 12 aspirants including seven leaders of BNP today filed writ petitions with the High Court against the Election Commission's orders that had rejected their nomination papers to contest in the upcoming national election.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia lost a legal battle to contest the December 30 national election as the Election Commission yesterday rejected her all three appeals against cancellation of her nominations by returning officers.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia may file an appeal to the High Court challenging rejection of her appeals by the Election Commission.

The Election Commission (EC) withholds the hearing on appeal filed by Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddiqui against rejection of his nomination papers for Tangail-4 and Tangail-8 constituencies.

The Election Commission yesterday allowed slain finance minister Shah AMS Kibria's son Reza Kibria, Jatiya Party leader Masud Parvez Sohel Rana, and 76 others to run in the December 30 election.

The Election Commission (EC) declares 17 candidates valid after hearing 40 petitions filed against the rejection of their nomination papers by the returning officers during scrutiny on December 2.

Syed Abul Maqsud, a columnist and civic rights activist, says the Election Commission is under an “invisible pressure” and therefore, it is failing to perform properly.

Upazila chairmen whose nominations were cancelled on the ground that their resignation from their posts were not accepted by the local government ministry are likely to get back their candidacy as the Election Commission okayed candidatures of at least three such election aspirants.

BNP has got back three of the six seats which fell void of its candidate for the upcoming general elections. The only seats remaining to receive a ruling are Rangpur-5, Manikganj- 2 and Shariatpur-1 constituencies.

The Election Commission today starts the mammoth task of disposing of 543 appeals against returning officers' nomination rejections.

The election commissioners should resign if they fail to perform their duties properly, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir says.

The High Court yesterday directed chief election commissioner (CEC) to immediately forward the nomination paper of BNP leader Mirza Abbas to the returning officer for scrutiny.

The Election Commission yesterday finalised a total of 40,199 polling centres nationwide for the December 30 polls.

The Election Commission has received a record number of appeals by parliamentary aspirants whose nomination papers were rejected by returning officers.

The High Court yesterday rejected a writ petition that challenged the legality of the appointment of chief election commissioner and

The BNP had as many as 141 nominations rejected while their rival the ruling Awami League only had three, sources in the Election Commission said.

Jatiya Oikyafront urges the Election Commission to issue directives to the Home Ministry to release all leaders and activists of different parties arrested in “political” cases.

Aspiring candidates have begun to file in appeal at the Election Commission challenging the rejection to run for general elections on December 30.