Dhaka: A total of 921 mayoral candidates will contest the forthcoming municipality elections to 234 municipalities on 30 December, said senior assistant secretary of Election Commission Farhad Hossain on Monday.

Around 650 aspirants will contest from political parties while 271 candidates will vie as independent contenders.

EC said, of the 921 mayoral candidates from 20 political parties 233 are of Awami League, while 219 of BNP and 73 of Jatiya Party (Ershad), 56 of Islami Andolan Bangladesh and 20 of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-Jasod.

A total 223 mayoral aspirants filed nomination papers across the country to contest the elections. The commission cancelled candidatures of 157 aspirants after reviewing their nomination forms.

Moreover, 23 candidates of political parties and 129 independent aspirants drew their nomination papers.

On 24 November the Election Commission announced the election schedule for 234 municipalities out of total 323.

The deadline for submission of nomination papers expired on Thursday.

The nomination papers will be scrutinised on Saturday and Sunday while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 13 December.

Some 7,162,396 voters–including 3,586,356 males and 3,576,040 females–will be able to exercise their franchise through 19,187 booths of possible 3,582 polling stations during the elections.