UNB, Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) cancelled the nomination papers of five mayoral contestants of the elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations, including BNP-backed Abdul Awal Mintoo and Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, during scrutiny on Wednesday. The EC, however, accepted the nomination papers of 19 candidates out of the total 21 of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) while it endorsed the nomination papers of 23 out of the total 26 of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC). The returning officers turned down Pintu’s nomination as he was convicted in the BDR carnage case while that of Mintoo was overturned as his supporter Abdur Razzak was not a voter of the area. Besides, the nomination of Babul Sardar Chakhari as mayor candidate of DSCC was trashed on charge of loan default while that of Rezaul Karim Chowdhury ditched as he did not submit the income tax return. Independent candidate Naim Hasan’s nomination was turned down also on charge of loan default. The EC started scrutinising the nomination papers in the morning. The candidates can challenge the decision of cancellation of the nominations with the appellate authority of the Dhaka Divisional Commissioner within the next three days. The Dhaka Divisional Commissioner will have to dispose of the cases within three days.
