The Election Commission on Monday declared Mahiya Mahi’s nomination paper valid after hearing her appeal against the Returning Officer's decision, clearing her way to participate in the national election.
Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal and other election commissioners announced the verdict after accepting her appeal in the Election Commission Secretariat in the capital’s Agargaon.
Mahiya, whose real name is Sharmin Akhtar Nipa Mahi, was accompanied by her lawyer and her husband.
After failing to secure the Awami League ticket, Mahiya filed her nomination as an independent candidate for Rajshahi-1.
The returning officer, however, declared her nomination papers invalid after 1% voter's signature was found to be “false” during verification.
The actor had been trying for a while to get an Awami League nomination in any of these constituencies: Chapainawabganj-2, consisting of Nachol, Bholahat, and Gomostapur upazilas, and Rajshahi-1, consisting of Tanore and Godagari upazilas.
This time, Omar Farooq Chowdhury, the current Member of Parliament and former president of the district Awami League, has been nominated for the Rajshahi-1 constituency. He has held this seat as a member of parliament since 2008.
The 12th parliamentary election is set to be held on January 7, as per the schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal on November 15.