Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Thursday said the 13th parliamentary election won't be a "staged-managed" one election unlike the previous ones in the past.
“Unlike before, there will be no staged election this time… A level playing field will be ensured for everyone,” he said.
The CEC made the remarks after inspecting 10 booths installed on the premises of the Election Commission in the city's Agargaon area to receive appeals from aggrieved aspirants against the decisions of returning officers.
He said the Election Commission believes in justice and fairness. “Everyone would get justice (fair treatment),” said the CEC.
Some 300 appeal petitions were filed against the decisions over the nomination papers in the first three days till Wednesday. The appeal petitions will be received till Friday.
The commission will hear and dispose of the petitions from January 10-18.
Earlier, the returning officers declared a total of 1842 nomination papers valid, while rejected 723 other nomination papers in the country's 300 constituencies during the scrutiny from December 30 to January 4.
The Election Commission on December 12 last declared the schedule to arrange the 13th national election and the referendum on July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order simultaneously on February 12, 2026.
The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The election campaign will start on January 22 and continue till 48 hours before the balloting period (7:30am on February 10).