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Published : 02 Jan 2026, 04:04 AM
The scrutiny of nomination papers for those wishing to contest the parliamentary election has commenced, with the process set to continue until Jan 4.
The final deadline for the withdrawal of nominations is Jan 20 following the completion of scrutiny and the resolution of appeals.
Candidates will be allocated their respective symbols the following day.
The Election Commission (EC) issued a circular covering party nominations and withdrawal of candidacy, allocation of symbols, the list of aspirants, the death of a candidate, the “no vote” option and uncontested elections. Relevant instructions were sent to returning officers on Monday.
If there are one or more vying candidates in a constituency, the returning officer allocates symbols in accordance with the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
In this context, "entrants” refer to those whose nominations were declared valid after scrutiny and appeals, who have not withdrawn, and whose candidacies have not been stayed.
The allocation of symbols and the subsequent election will take place among these contesting candidates.
According to the EC’s directives, a designated symbol is allocated to each candidate as per the rules.
A candidate nominated by a registered political party will be allocated the symbol reserved for that specific party.
When allocating symbols to independent candidates, the candidate's personal preference is taken into consideration as far as possible.
There are currently 59 parties registered with the EC. Alongside the symbols reserved for them, there are 56 symbols available for independent candidates.
If a valid nominee dies, the election process in the relevant constituency must be cancelled through a public notice.
The returning officer must inform the EC of the death of a valid candidate, provided the candidate has survived the scrutiny process.
The commission will then announce a fresh schedule for that constituency, and subsequent steps will be taken in line with its decision.
Candidates, however, who had already submitted nomination papers will not be required to file new nominations during the subsequent process, nor will they have to deposit the security money again.
