Home ›› 24 Aug 2022 ›› Front
The Election Commission (EC) has decided to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in maximum 150 constituencies out of the 300 in the next general elections likely to be held late next year.
The decision was taken at a meeting at the commission’s office in Agargaon on Tuesday, said Ashok Kumar Debnath, additional secretary to the Election Commission.
The final number will be decided after assessing EC’s capacity of putting EVMs in use, he added.
“The EC has taken decision that the polls will be held through EVMs in the maximum 150 constituencies in the next national election. But it could also be in a single constituency,” he said.
He said the commission would require purchasing more EVMs to use the machines in the 150 constituencies. So, the EVMs to will be used in the maximum 150 constituencies subjected to procurement of the machines, he added.
In reply to a question, the EC official said the commission took the decision taking the recommendations, placed by the political parties in the talks with EC in June last, in cognizance and analyzing all aspects.
He said now the EC has 150,000 EVMs enough for sue in 70-75 constituencies.
The meeting also discussed the procurement of more EVMs, he said replying to another question.
“If the commission takes the decision for buying more EVMs, we’ll go for procuring the machines,” said the EC official.
In the dialogues with the EC, almost half the participating political parties supported the use of EVMs in the national election, while others opposed it.
Earlier in June, the commission held meeting with all the registered political parties of the country for their opinion on EVM voting.
BNP and its coalition partners, however, boycotted the dialogue.
