Dhaka, Jan. 10 -- The Election Commission (EC) has upheld the candidacies of former National Citizen Party leader Tasnim Jara and Jamaat-e-Islami's AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad for the upcoming national election.

The decision came on Saturday after the EC heard their appeals against the rejection of their nomination papers.

Jara, who is seeking to run from the Dhaka-9 constituency, resigned from the NCP in December amid debate over its possible alignment with a Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance. She subsequently submitted her nomination as an independent candidate.

Her nomination had initially been rejected due to alleged discrepancies in the list of one percent of voters submitted in support of her candidacy. Following her appeal, the EC overtu...