Final scrutiny of the candidates in the ongoing elections to two Dhaka city corporations is scheduled for today (Thursday), and symbols will be distributed among the contesting candidates tomorrow (Friday).
Meanwhile, all Mayoral and Ward Councillor candidates already have started their respective electoral campaign in full swing.
The elections to the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and 129 Wards will be held on January 30. Of them, there are 75 general Wards in the DSCC and 25 reserved seats for women while 54 general Wards in the DNCC with 18 reserved seats. Therefore, the election will be held for two Mayoral and 172 Councillor posts.
Returning officers of both the DSCC and the DSCC on Wednesday said, a total of 13 valid candidates are contesting for the two Mayoral posts while 1,006 valid candidates for the 172 Ward Councillor posts.
The number of the candidates could be less if some of the candidates withdraw their nominations.
Earlier, a total of 14 candidates submitted their nominations for two mayoral posts, but candidature of one of them, Brig. Gen Qamrul Islam, has been cancelled by the election commission.
Seven among the valid candidates--Fazle Nur Taposh from Awami League, Ishraque Hossain from BNP, Mohammad Saifuddin Ahmed Milon from Jatiya Party, Md Abdur Rahman from Islami Andolan, Bahran-e-Sultan Bahar from NPP, Md Akteruzzaman alias Ayatullah from Bangladesh Congress and Abdus Samad Sujon from Gono Front--are contesting for the DSCC Mayoral post while six others—incumbent DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam from Awami League, Tabith Awal from BNP, Sajedul Huq from the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Shahin Khan from PDP, Fazle Bari Masud from Islami Andolan and Anisur Rahman Dewan from NPP are contesting for the DNCC Mayoral post.
Besides, the Election Commission had cancelled candidatures of 45 Ward Councillor aspirants primarily. However, 26 of them got back their candidatures through appeal.
According to the EC, there are around 54 lakh voters in the two city corporations. Of them, 30.36 lakh voters are under 54 wards in DNCC and 23.67 lakh under 75 wards in DSCC. In the upcoming elections, the number of possible polling stations will be 2,500 in the two city corporations.
