Today, Tuesday (January 20), marks the final deadline for candidates to withdraw their nomination papers for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Elections.

According to the Election Commission (EC) schedule, official election symbols will be allocated tomorrow, Wednesday (January 21).

Candidates will be permitted to begin their formal election campaigns from Thursday, January 22.

Election and Referendum Schedule
The national polls and the constitutional referendum are set to take place on Thursday, February 12. Voting will be conducted via paper ballots in transparent ballot boxes from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM without any break.

EC Guidelines on Withdrawal
In a circular issued by the Election Commission, the following rules were highlighted based on the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972:

Individual Withdrawal: A validly nominated candidate must submit a written notice, signed by themselves or an authorized representative, to the Returning Officer by the end of today.

Political Party Nominations: If a registered political party has initially nominated more than one candidate in a single constituency, the party’s head (President/General Secretary) must inform the Returning Officer of the final candidate choice by today. All other nominees from that party will then be automatically disqualified.

Finality: Once a withdrawal notice is submitted or a final party nomination is confirmed, it cannot be canceled or revoked under any circumstances.

Allocation of Symbols
Following the withdrawal deadline, Returning Officers will prepare the final list of contesting candidates.

On January 21, election symbols will be allocated.

Candidate names will be arranged in the final list (Form-5) according to the Bengali alphabetical order.

Appeal Statistics
Election Commission officials reported that out of 645 total appeals filed regarding nomination disputes, 425 were granted, allowing those candidates to stay in the race.

Conversely, 209 appeals were rejected, and 11 were withdrawn by the applicants.