Dhaka: The Election Commission on Thursday declared 81 candidatures as valid after hearing 160 petitions filed against the rejection of their nomination papers by returning officers.

The Commission, the appellate authority, competed its first-day hearing and disposed of almost all the 160 petitions, reports the UNB.

The EC declared 81 candidatures as valid after hearing 160 petitions. It rejected 77 petitions and kept 2 pending.

On completion of the first-day hearing, BNP got back their single candidates in three constituencies --Bagura-7, Jamalpur-4, Manikganj-2 and Dhaka-1 - after the Election Commission cleared its aspirants’ candidature for the parliamentary seats.

The Commission, the appellate authority, started its three-day hearing at 10am on Thursday over petitions filed against the decision of the returning officers over the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers in different constituencies.

Now the BNP’s valid contestants for the four constituencies are Morshed Milton for Bagura-7, Faridul KabirTalukder (Shamim) for Jamalpur-4, Abidur Rahman Khan for Manikganj-2 and Khandaker Abu Ashfaq of Dhaka-1.

Ruling Awami League fielded no candidate for 36 constituencies, while BNP for five parliamentary seats in the 11th national election slated for December 30.

During Sunday’s scrutiny of nomination papers by the returning officers, all BNP aspirants lost their candidature in six constituencies -- Sunamganj-3, Manikganj-2, Jamalpur-4, Pabna-1, Bagura-7 and Dhaka-1, while AL aspirants in three constituencies --Kurigram-4, Satkhira-1 and Narayanganj-3.

Among others who got back their candidatures with the EC’s order include BNP contestants Tamij Uddin of Dhaka-20 and Major (retd) Akhteruzzaman of Kishoreganj-2 Abdul Majid for Jhenaidah-2, Mohammad Shahjahan for Patuakhali-3, Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury for Sylhet-3, Fazlur Rahman for Joypurhat, Hasadul Islam for Pabna-3, Ainul Haque for Sirajganj-3, Joynal Abedin for Mymensingh-7, AKM Mukhlesur Rahman for Sherpur-2, Selim Bhuiyan for Dhaka-5, Tozammel Haque for Manikganj-1, Ahammad Taibur Rahman for Mymensingh-3, Abu Asif Ahmed for Brahmanbaria-2, Syed Abu Bakar Siddique for Dhaka-14, BNP candidates Abdul Khaleque for Kurigram-3, Nurul Amin for Chattogram-1, Mostafa Kamal Pasha for Chattogram-3, Prof M Yunus for Cumilla-5, Rafiqul Islam for Gaibandha-3, Nazemul Islam Prodhan for Gaibandha-5, Abdullah Al Mamun for Sirajganj-5, Abdul Aziz for Natore-4, MA Muhith for Sirajganj-6, Maj Gen (retd) Monzur Kader for Sirajganj-5, Aminul Haque for Rajshahi-1, MdHanif for Dinajpur-1, Ershad Ullah for Chattogram-8.

Besides, other valid candidates declared by the EC include Sumon Sanyamat for Patuakhali-1, Afsar Ali for Satkhira-2, Jahirul Islam Mintu for Madaripur-1 , Mahbub Alam and Joynal Abedin for Gazipur-2, Jasmine Noor Baby for Brahmanbaria-6, Mustafa Selim for Rangpur-4, SM Shafiqul Alam for Khulna-6, Jubair Ahmed for Habiganj-1, Abdullah Al Helal for Brahmanbaria-3, Abu Bakar Siddique for Mymensingh-2, Sulaiman Khan Rabbani for Habiganj-4, Alauddin Mridha for Natore-4, Yunus Ali for Kurigram-4, Anisuzzaman for Barishal-2, Kamruzzaman Swadhin for Jhenaidah-3, KM Mujibul Haque for Cumilla-3, Foyzul Munir Chowdhury for Sylhet-5, Abdul Mannan for Jhenaidah-4, Syed Anwar Ahammad Liton for Brahmanbaria-3, Mamunur Rashid for Brahmanbaria-5 and Zakir Hossain for Dhaka-14, Mahfuzar Rahman for Kurigram-4, Mokhlesur Rahman for Brahmanbaria-2, Mahbub Alam for Lakshmipur-1, Niamul Bashir for Chandpur-5, Ashraf Uddin for Brahmanbaria-2, Abu Zafar for Gaibandha-3, Sayeduzzaman for Jashore-6, Abdur Rahman for Sirajganj-4, Abdur Rauf Mondal for Bogura-5, Habibur Rahman for Sirajganj-6, Shafiqul Islam for Bogura-2, Mohammad Foysal Bin for Bogura-6, Anisur Rahman for Chattogram-10, Mahfuzar Rahman for Kurigram-4, Shah Alam for Kurigram-4, Mustafa Selim for Rangpur-4, Yunus Ali for Kurigram-4 and Asaduzzaman for Rangpur-1.

The EC will dispose of 150 petitions on Friday and the remaining 233 will be sorted out on Saturday.

A total of 543 petitions were filed with the Election Commission within the stipulated three days till Wednesday challenging the decisions of returning officers over the rejection and acceptance of nomination papers submitted by aspirants to contest the next national election slated for December 30.