As the thirteenth national parliamentary election approaches, a crucial decision regarding the candidacy of three BNP nominees is expected today, as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court prepares to deliver its orders on petitions related to the Cumilla-10 and Cumilla-4 constituencies. A five-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by the Chief Justice, has placed three leave-to-appeal petitions on its cause list for orders, making the outcome significant for the ongoing electoral process. In Cumilla-10, BNP candidate Mobashwer Alam sought to regain his candidacy by challenging the Election Commission’s decision to cancel his nomination through a writ petition in the High Court. Following the hearing, the High Court on January 25 stayed the cancellation order and subsequently directed that he be allocated the Dhaner Sheesh 🌾 symbol, which he later received. However, the matter did not end there, as rival candidate Hasan Ahmed filed a leave-to-appeal with the Appellate Division against the High Court’s ruling, leaving the final decision pending before the highest court. Meanwhile, in the same Cumilla-10 constituency, BNP-nominated candidate Gafur Bhuiyan faced allegations of holding dual citizenship, prompting an appeal to the Election Commission by a competing candidate. After a hearing, the Commission canceled Gafur Bhuiyan’s nomination, leading him to challenge the decision in the High Court, which dismissed his writ petition outright. Seeking relief, he then approached the Appellate Division with a leave-to-appeal, the fate of which is also expected to be determined today. In Cumilla-4, BNP nominee Manjurul Ahsan challenged the Election Commission’s decision against his candidacy by filing a writ petition in the High Court, but the court dismissed the petition after hearing. He subsequently moved the Appellate Division by filing a leave-to-appeal, which has been scheduled for an order as well. These legal proceedings have created uncertainty in the affected constituencies, influencing campaign dynamics and political calculations as the election draws closer. Observers believe that today’s verdicts will not only determine the political future of the concerned candidates but will also have broader implications for party strategies, symbol allocation, and voter alignment in the contested seats. As a result, significant attention is focused on the Appellate Division’s decisions, which are expected to clarify the situation and potentially reshape the electoral landscape ahead of the national polls.