The Election Commission on Friday reinstated the nominations of 18 candidates during the seventh day of hearings challenging returning officers’ decisions on nomination papers for the forthcoming 13th parliamentary elections.

EC sources said a total of 43 appeals were heard. Of those, 18 appeals against the cancellation of nomination papers were accepted, while 17 were rejected. The commission also dismissed four appeals filed against the acceptance of nomination papers and left four appeals pending.

The EC announced that appeals numbered 511 to 610 would be heard today  at the Election Building auditorium at Agargaon in the capital Dhaka from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Since the hearings began on January 10, a total of 355 candidates have had the validity of their nominations restored over the first six days. In all, 645 appeal applications were submitted to the commission.

The appeal process is scheduled to continue until January 18.

According to the election schedule, the deadline for candidates to withdraw is January 20. Electoral symbols will be allocated on January 21, with campaigning set to begin the following day.

After 19 consecutive days of campaigning, all activities must cease at 7:30 am on February 10. Voting for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections, alongside the referendum on the July National Charter, is scheduled nationwide for February 12 from 7:30am to 4:30pm.