Election officials have rejected Jatiya Party’s mayoral candidate Shafin Ahmed’s nomination for the Dhaka North City Corporation by-polls slated for Feb 28.

Musician Shafin’s nomination was scrapped on grounds of loan default, said the concerned returning officer.

Following scrutiny of the nomination forms filed by aspiring mayoral candidates, returning officer and Election Commission (EC) Joint Secretary Abul Kashem on Saturday (Feb 2) announced the names of candidates whose nomination has been accepted.

The EC officials have accepted the nominations of Awami League candidate businessman Atiqul Islam, NPP candidate Anisur Rahman Dewan, NDM candidate Bobby Hajjaj, PDB candidate Shahin Khan and independent aspirant Abdur Rahim.

Although a total of 26 aspirants collected nomination forms, only six filed their forms to contest the mayoral by-polls, which the BNP and allies have boycotted.

On Jan 22, the Election Commission fixed Feb 28 for the Dhaka North mayoral by-election and polls to elect councilors for the 36 new wards to the North and South city corporations.

The office of the Dhaka North mayor fell vacant after the death of Annisul Huq on Nov 30, 2017.

The EC’s announcement of the schedule for the by-polls came six days after the High Court scrapped a stay order on it.

The Commission had last year announced that mayoral by-polls for Dhaka north and the new city corporation wards will be held on Feb 26. However, the process faced roadblock after Ataur Rahman and Jahangir Alam, Union Council chairpersons of Bhatara and Beraid, filed a petition challenging the decision over their unions being added to Dhaka as city corporation wards.