Mohsin Ali’s wife is the only valid candidate for the Moulvibazar by-polls

The Election Commission has scrapped the nominations of all candidates except that of the late minister Syed Mohsin Ali’s widow Saira Mohsin for the Moulvibazar-3 by-election.

The nominee of the ruling Awami League, Saira Mohsin will be declared the winner if the other aspirants to the seat do not challenge the EC’s decision by Nov 22 — the last date for candidates to pull out of the by-polls.

Sylhet’s Regional Election Officer SM Ejaharul Haq cancelled the nominations of four other candidates after scrutiny of nomination papers on Saturday.

The candidates are Bangladesh Nationalist Front’s Mohammad Ashraf Hossain Ashraf, Jatiya Party’s Syed Nurul Haq, and independent candidates Mohammad Khurshid and Sohel Ahmed.

The EC had earlier fixed Dec 8 for the by-polls following Syed Mohsin Ali’s death on Sep 14.

Nov 11 was last date for joining the election.

Assistant Returning Officer Kazi Istafazul Haq Akand explained why the nominations of the four candidates had been cancelled.

“The lists of voters submitted by the independent candidates were faulty,” he said.

Independent candidates are required to submit the signatures of one-tenth of voters from the constituency.

The assistant returning officer pointed out that JP candidate Huq had not submitted any recommendation from his party chairman or secretary general endorsing his nomination.

Those who endorsed the BNF candidate said in an affidavit that they were not affiliated with any party and did not support or endorse any candidate, he said.

“We cancelled the four nominations based on these,” he added.