Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder on Tuesday said the Election Commission will neutrally dispose of appeals filed against the decisions of the returning officers over rejection and acceptance of nomination papers.
“Those who’re filing petitions their appeals will be disposed of in a legal and neutral way,” he said while visiting booths set up to receive appeals on the premises of Nirbachan Bhaban in the city at noon.
In replying to a question whether the EC will ensure justice in disposal of the appeals, the Election Commissioner said, the justice is a relative matter. But the Election Commission will take the decision hearing all partners of the appeals, he added.
Mahbub Talukder said he had been there to visit the booths to know whether the petitioners face troubles in filing their appeals.
The Election Commission on Tuesday set up eight booths on its secretariat’s premises for registering petitions from the aggrieved aspirants of the country’s eight divisions.
The Commission on Monday started receiving appeals at its reception room. A total of 84 petitions were received on the first day.
On the second day, more than 150 petitions were submitted till 4pm.
Immediate past Jatiya Party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader (Patuakhali-1), Jatiya Party aspirant film actor Sohel Rana (Barishal-2), BNP aspirant Sabira Sultana (Jashore-2) and BNP aspirant Barrister Mir Mohammad Helaluddin be son of BNP leader Mir Mohammad Nasir (Chattogram-5) were among those who submitted the petition.
The EC, which has the appellate jurisdiction, will also receive the petition on Wednesday.
The Commission will dispose of the petitions on December 6-8 following hearings. The quasi-judicial body has already set up the hearing rooms at the Nirbachan Bhaban.
Even if anyone is aggrieved with the EC’s decision in this regard, the person will go to the High Court to seek a solution.
Returning officers on Sunday accepted total 2,279 nomination papers and turned down 786 others submitted in the country’s 300 constituencies to contest the 11th national election slated for December 30.
