Uproar after EC fails to give rejected nominees attested copies of appeal rulings

Election aspirants and their supporters have caused an uproar at the Election Commission after they did not receive attested copies of their appeal ruling.

Candidates whose appeals have been rejected will require a certified copy of the EC’s decision if they want to take the matter to the High Court. Those who have not received them are in a precarious position.

The rejected candidates gathered around the EC office at noon and urged the officials to issue the copies quickly. But the EC’s failure to do so led to heated exchanges.

Returning officers rejected a total of 786 nomination forms on Dec 2. The hearings on 543 appeals filed to the Election Commission against the decision were held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The EC approved 243 nominations over the course of the three days. Those who were rejected on appeal are now taking the matter to the High Court.

EC officials have said that they were only able to provide one candidate, whose appeal was rejected on Saturday, with an attested copy of the settlement on Sunday.  However the list of appeals which have been granted has been already sent to the returning officers.

According to the schedule announced by the EC, Sunday is the last day for submission of nomination papers. So the list of participants for the coming 11th parliamentary election will be finalised by Sunday.