Bangladesh
EVM Still not entirely sure about EVM: CEC
Dhaka, January 19: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal is still not completely sure about the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the upcoming National Assembly elections.
He said, "Whether EVMs will be available as per demand or not (not sure). We have not come to any definite decision on how many (in how many constituencies or centres) we will be able to vote on EVMs.”
He made this comment to reporters after meeting with the European Union delegation at the election building on Wednesday. An 11-member delegation led by EU Head of Delegation Charles Whiteley participated in the meeting. Three election commissioners, EC secretary and senior officers were present in the meeting.
The CEC said, "The European Union asked a question about EVMs whether there is distrust in EVMs or not. I have said that the mistrust about EVMs has gone away. But also informed that still not fully sure about EVM. Because whether EVMs will be available as per demand or not. We have not come to any definite decision on how many elections can be done in EVMs. That's all we had to discuss with them. I think since they are coming they can say better."
In response to a question, Kazi Habibul Awal said, The European Union visited us here in July last year as well. There was an exchange of views with them about the election. Now that our 10 months have passed. We have reached an election year. So they say it periodically, they are coming to discuss again. Basically came to know how our election preparations are.
He said, 'We are moving forward according to the roadmap that we have. We are preparing and we will make the election in due course. We have also made it clear to them. There are still differences of opinion between the political parties on some issues. Due to these differences, the electoral environment is still not conducive to demand."
