The Election Commission (EC) has approved the nomination of Tasnim Jara as an independent candidate for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. She had filed an appeal with the Election Commission last Monday after her nomination paper was initially rejected.

Tasnim Jara is contesting the election from the Dhaka-9 constituency as an independent candidate. Following a hearing that began on Saturday morning, the Election Commission ruled in favor of her appeal and restored her candidacy.

Speaking to journalists after the decision, Tasnim Jara said her appeal had been accepted and her nomination as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9 had been declared valid. She described the past week as an emotionally intense period, saying she had received support, prayers, and encouragement from people both at home and abroad. While meeting residents on the streets, she said many expressed disappointment and concern over the earlier rejection and assured her of their prayers. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved in the campaign and the legal fight.

Tasnim Jara also thanked the Election Commission for reinstating her candidacy. She mentioned that she would apply for a football symbol as her preferred election symbol, adding that the final decision would rest with the Election Commission.

Previously, Tasnim Jara served as a senior joint member secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP). She resigned from the party amid controversy surrounding its electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded groups. Following her resignation, she submitted her nomination paper as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9.

On January 3, after the scrutiny process, the returning officer cancelled her nomination. According to Dhaka Division Additional Divisional Commissioner (Revenue) Md. Azmal Hossain, while the required number of voter signatures—4,300—had been met, verification revealed that two out of ten listed proposers and supporters were not registered voters of the Dhaka-9 constituency. Under election rules, this led to the rejection of her nomination, though she was informed of her right to appeal.

The Election Commission has stated that a total of 645 appeals have been filed challenging returning officers’ decisions regarding nomination papers in the upcoming election. Appeals were accepted between January 5 and January 9, with 176 appeals submitted on the final day alone.

Appeal hearings will continue until January 18 at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka. Hearings are being conducted daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, with schedules set for different batches of appeals over the coming days.