The Daily Morning Voice Online Desk: Seven candidates including the Awami League candidate have lost their security deposits after being defeated to Jatiya Party (JaPa) candidate Mostafizar Rahman Mostofa with a big margin in the Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) election. Only the Islami Andolon Bangladesh candidate Amiruzzaman Piyal sustained in the contest. According to the results announced on Tuesday, JaPa candidate Mostafizar Rahman Mostofa was re-elected Rangpur mayor receiving 1,46,798 votes, while his nearest rival Islami Andolon Bangladesh’s Amiruzzaman Piyal bagged 49,892 votes.

Independent candidate Engr Latifur Rahman Milon received 33,883 votes, Awami League candidate Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia 22,306 votes, Bangladesh Congress’ Abu Raihan 10,549 votes, Zaker Party’s Khorshed Alam 5,809 votes, Khelafat Majlish’s Towhidur Rahman Mondol 2,864 votes, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD)’s Shafiar Rahman 5,156 votes and Independent candidate Mehedi Hasan Bony 2,679 votes. There were 2,79,936 legal votes, while 1,036 votes were rejected. A total of 2,80,972 ballots were cast, which was 65.88 per cent of the total votes.

According to the sub-clause 3 of Section 44 of Local Government (City Corporation) Election Rules 2010, if a candidate fails to obtain 8 per cent of the total legal votes after counting of ballots, his or her security deposits will be confiscated in favour of the government. If it is taken into account, except Mostafizar Rahman Mostofa and Amiruzzaman Piyal, the rest seven candidates have lost their security deposits in the election. It was the third election since the city corporation was formed in 2012. The corporation has 33 wards and 183 councillor posts.