MP aspirants can also submit nominations online
Ahead of the 12th National Assembly elections, amendments have been made to the Election Conduct Rules in coordination with the Revised Representation of the People Order (RPO). In this case, the provision of online submission of nomination has been added in addition to the existing system of submission of nomination papers directly to the Returning Officer.
How to submit nomination form online
Candidates have to apply through a specific portal for submission of nomination papers online for parliamentary elections. In this case the face of the candidate, proposer and supporter must match with the National Identity Card (NID) photo.
According to the election rules, any candidate or proposer or supporter or candidate's representative can file the nomination directly by collecting the nomination from the concerned Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer within the prescribed date for filing the nomination. Or, for filling and submitting the nomination form online, a candidate can register and submit the nomination form by entering the relevant link (portal) of the website of Bangladesh Election Commission.
In case of submission of nomination paper through online, registration should be done by entering the national identity card number or voter number, mobile number, e-mail ID and constituency number and name by entering the portal. User name and password will be available after registration.
Facial recognition of the candidate, proposer and endorser should be done with the facial information stored in the biometric feature of the national identity card.
A candidate will log in to the portal and enter the nomination, personal details and affidavit details and attach the necessary documents (including affidavit, income tax payment documents, as applicable, certificate of nomination by registered political party and related documents) in PDF format. However, in case of independent candidates, the signed list with the support of one percent of the voters of the respective constituencies must be submitted directly to the concerned Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer before the last date of filing nomination papers.
Nomination form should be submitted after paying the prescribed security deposit using the online payment method maintained in the candidate portal.
After submission of nomination paper, the relevant information including acknowledgment of receipt of nomination paper submission, place and date of selection of nomination paper, decision of selection of nomination paper, withdrawal of candidature and allocation of symbols will be sent periodically through SMS to the mobile phone provided by the candidate and this information will also be displayed on the portal.
The Returning Officer may, if necessary, direct that the original copies of the relevant documents of the nomination papers filed online should be submitted to him on the appointed day of selection of nomination papers.
12-digit TIN number along with last filed income tax return filing certificate should be submitted.
The Election Commission has already said that the 'Election Management App' will continue to provide a set of services including submitting nomination papers online, providing information about voters, parties, candidates, symbols, pictures and polling stations. This app will be made before the announcement of the 12th Parliament election schedule.
A gazette notification in this regard signed by Election Commission Secretary Md. Jahangir Alam has also been issued. As per the notification, some changes have been made in the reservation of symbols for political parties and independent candidates. 44 symbols are reserved for 44 registered political parties and 25 for independent candidates. After the introduction of registration system in 2008, 141 symbols were reserved in the Election Conduct Rules. Of these, there were 102 symbols for independent candidates in addition to 39 registered party symbols.
Before the last 11th parliamentary elections, the Election Commission revised the rules and reserved 64 symbols, 39 for registered parties and 25 for independent candidates
