The Election Commission (EC) has officially started receiving appeals today against the decisions of Returning Officers regarding the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

Starting Monday (January 5), a dedicated reception center has been established at the Election Commission building in Agargaon, Dhaka.

To streamline the process, 10 regional booths have been set up to handle appeals from different parts of the country.

Aggrieved candidates, banks, financial institutions, utility service providers, or authorized representatives can file their appeals until 5:00 PM on January 9.

Regional Booth Distribution

Appeals will be processed based on the following regional clusters:

• Booth 1 (Khulna): Meherpur, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhenaidah, Jashore, Magura, Narail, Bagerhat, Khulna, and Satkhira.
• Booth 2 (Rajshahi): Joypurhat, Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Naogaon, Rajshahi, Natore, Sirajganj, and Pabna.
• Booth 3 (Rangpur): Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Kurigram, and Gaibandha.
• Booth 4 (Chattogram): Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Khagrachari, Rangamati, and Bandarban.
• Booth 5 (Cumilla): Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, Chandpur, Feni, Noakhali, and Lakshmipur.
• Booth 6 (Sylhet): Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj.
• Booth 7 (Dhaka): Tangail, Kishoreganj, Manikganj, Munshiganj, Dhaka, Gazipur, Narsingdi, and Narayanganj.
• Booth 8 (Mymensingh): Jamalpur, Sherpur, Mymensingh, and Netrokona.
• Booth 9 (Barishal): Barguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Barishal, Jhalakathi, and Pirojpur.
• Booth 10 (Faridpur): Rajbari, Faridpur, Gopalganj, Madaripur, and Shariatpur.

Key Deadlines and Procedures

The scrutiny of nomination papers concluded at 5:00 PM on Sunday.

Md. Ruhul Amin Mallik, Director of Public Relations at the EC Secretariat, stated that the final count of valid and cancelled nominations nationwide would be released tonight.

According to the EC notification, the 13th National Parliamentary Election and Referendum are scheduled for February 12, 2026.

The Appeal Process

• Submission: Appeals must be submitted to the Secretary of the EC Secretariat in the prescribed format.
• Documentation: Applicants must provide the date of the decision, a statement of reasons for the appeal, and a certified copy of the Returning Officer's order.
• Copies: A total of seven copies (one original and six photocopies) must be submitted.
• Disposal: The Election Commission will resolve all filed appeals between January 10 and January 18, 2026.

Code of Conduct

The Commission has reminded all registered political parties, nominated candidates, independent candidates, and individuals holding high-profile government positions to strictly adhere to the "Political Parties and Candidates Code of Conduct for Parliamentary Elections, 2025."