CEC not yet sure about EVM use in national polls

Staff Reporter

Published: January 18, 2023, 05:28 PM

CEC not yet sure about EVM use in national polls

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal has said that he is not yet sure about the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the national elections.

Following a meeting with a delegation of the European Union at the Election Commission building he told reporters, "The delegation asked whether there is any distrust in EVM. I have said that the confusion about EVMs has gone away. But I have also informed them that I am still not completely sure about (the use of) EVM, as it is not yet sure if the required number of EVMs will be available.

"We have not come to any definite decision on how many poling centres will use EVMs for voting. That was all we discussed with them."

In response to a question from reporters, he said, "A delegation of the EU also visited us here last year in July. There was an exchange of views with them about the election. As an election year nears, they have come to exchange views again. Basically, they came to know how our election preparations are going.

"When asked about what they

specifically want to know about the election, they asked to know about the electoral role. I have told them whether there is any initiative to redefine the limits of parliamentary seats, and make the election participatory or not. We cleared our current stance and said we were ready."

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