NCP’s Nusrat Tabassum clears scrutiny for reserved women’s seat

The returning officer says her nomination was accepted in line with a court order and declared valid after scrutiny

The nomination papers of NCP leader Nusrat Tabassum for a reserved women’s seat in the 13th parliament have been declared valid.

Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan made the announcement after scrutiny at the Election Commission (EC) headquarters on Saturday.

“We accepted Nusrat Tabassum’s nomination paper in line with a court order, and it has been declared valid in [Saturday’s] scrutiny,” he said.

Nusrat had submitted her nomination paper after the 4pm deadline on Apr 21, the last day for filing nominations, prompting the returning officer to refuse it.

She later challenged the decision in court. The court then ordered the EC to accept the nomination paper and take the next steps in accordance with the law.

Nusrat, a candidate of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, said the question of taking oath would arise only after publication of the gazette.

“I am not thinking that far until the official work is completed,” she said.

“Whether I am in parliament or not, I will always represent my party. And I will always follow the political ideals I believe in.”

Reserved women’s seats in parliament are distributed among political parties and alliances under the proportional representation system.

Under that arrangement, the ruling BNP alliance nominated 36 candidates, the Jamaat alliance 13, and the independent alliance one. All of them submitted nomination papers on Apr 21.

Among the Jamaat alliance’s 13 candidates, the NCP had nominated its central Joint Member Secretary Mahmuda Alam Mitu and Joint Convenor Monira Sharmin. During scrutiny on Apr 23, the nomination papers of all other candidates were accepted, but Monira’s was cancelled.

Nusrat’s lawyer Zahirul Islam Musa said the law allowed a party to nominate more than one candidate.

“The NCP nominated two candidates. Of them, Monira Sharmin’s nomination was not accepted on legal grounds,” he said.

“She appealed, but the Election Commission rejected the appeal. She has now moved the High Court. If any different order comes from there, the EC and the NCP, as a party, will follow it.”