NCP’s Monira Sharmin says will appeal against reserved MP nomination cancellation

NCP Joint Convener Monira Sharmin on Thursday said she would appeal against the Election Commission’s decision to cancel her candidacy for a women’s reserved seat at the 13th Parliament.

Directly elected members of parliament are set to elect women lawmakers for 50 reserved seats on 12 May.

The Jamaat-led 11-party alliance got 13 seats, but it has already lost two candidates from its alliance partner NCP, while all the 36 candidates of BNP has received the EC's greenlight.

NCP leader Nusrat Tabassum’s nomination papers were not accepted as they were submitted 19 minutes past the deadline. It was not immediately clear who would take her place from the Jamaat-led bloc. On Thursday, the EC declared 12 candidates from the bloc valid.

The EC also declared that another NCP leader Monira Sharmin’s nomination papers were rejected on the grounds she was a government official less than three years ago, in breach of electoral rules.

Appeals against candidacy cancellations and other EC decisions can be filed till 4pm on 26 April. The EC will dispose of appeals on 27-28 April.

If Monira faces rejection in the appeals, her intended seat will be declared open to all parties, and a new election will be held for that seat under a new schedule, according to rules outlined by EC Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan at a press briefing held at EC head office.

With a large majority in the parliament, BNP is set to win the seat if Monira's appeal bid fails.