150 constituencies: EC’s EVM dream over, for now
"The government decided not to go ahead with the project for now after detailed examination and review of the project considering the financial capacity of the government in the current global context."
The government has shelved a proposal for buying two lakh electronic voting machines, forcing the Election Commission to change its plan for using the machines in up to 150 constituencies in the next general polls.
The Planning Commission returned the project proposal involving Tk 8,711 crore to the EC on Sunday citing "the financial capacity of the government in the current global context" as a reason.
The move comes following criticism by many that spending around half a billion dollars for the EVMs would be unreasonable amid the economic crisis. Major opposition parties are also dead against the use of EVMs in the election.
Top EC officials yesterday told The Daily Star that the commission would now need to reduce the number of constituencies in which the machines would be used.
A top EC official said the commission is now capable of using EVMs in at best 50 constituencies as about 30 percent of the 1.5 lakh machines it has are usable.
Election commissioners had earlier said that they would need the additional 2 lakh machines for holding polls in up to 150 constituencies with the EVMs.
"The government decided not to go ahead with the project for now after detailed examination and review of the project considering its financial capacity in the current global context," EC Secretary Jahangir Alam told reporters at a press briefing yesterday.
Replying to questions from reporters, he said the project could be taken up again in future if the financial capacity improves.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Mosammat Nasima Begum, a member of the Planning Commission, said the government has to take up development projects based on priority.
Asked if there was political pressure on them to shelve the proposal, she refused to comment.
A top Planning Commission official, however, said the proposal was suspended following a signal from the government high-ups.
The move to buy additional EVMs came following the EC's August 23 last year decision to go for electronic voting in up to 150 constituencies in the polls despite objections from major opposition parties, like the BNP and Jatiya Party (Ershad).
The EC sent the Development Project Proposal (DPP) to the Planning Commission in October.
According to the DPP, an EVM with all its accessories would cost Tk 3.33 lakh and about Tk 6,660 crore would be needed to buy two lakh EVMs.
Another Tk 1,155 crore was asked for for building a customisation centre and a warehouse to store the machines and to buy 534 pickups and four SUVs.
About Tk 206 crore was sought for carrying out awareness campaigns, voter education, and training officials.
The Planning Commission on several occasions sought explanations and more information from the EC regarding the DPP. This instilled doubt among many that the project might not be approved.
Election commissioners Md Alamgir and Anisur Rahman on several occasions had said that if the proposal was not approved by January 15, the commission would not be able to use the machines the way it had planned to and that the EC would have to use the EVMs it already has.
Officials concerned said the commissioners had been saying this because it takes five to six months to appoint a project director and other officials, issue work orders, import EVM parts, and prepare the machines. The EC would also need time to customise the machines, they said.
With Jatiya Sangsad polls likely in early January 2024, the EVM issue came to the fore after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at an Awami League meeting on May 7 said EVMs would be used in all 300 constituencies.
The ruling party and some of its alliance partners are in favour of the use of the machines but at least 19 out of the 39 registered political parties have either directly told the EC or said in public that they oppose the use of EVMs.
Thirty-nine eminent citizens on September 6 issued a statement urging the EC not to use EVMs in the next general election. It said using the machines might provoke political debate and further reduce people's confidence in the commission.
Asked if the EC was disappointed that the proposal was shelved, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Ahsan Habib Khan said there was no question of disappointment.
"I think any farsighted and conscientious authority with analytical ability can make such a decision due to the global economic recession," he said, adding, "Everything will take place in line with the work plan we prepared for the 12th parliamentary polls."
The EC will try to make full use of the EVMs it has and is already checking their quality, he said.
He said the EC used EVMs in more than 500 polls with no case of vote rigging and the candidates made no complaints about the results.
It is to be noted that through this, the expectations of most of the political parties have been met. The wishes of prominent citizens have also been fulfilled, he said.
"Now we think that people, irrespective of political thoughts, will like the decision and all political parties will participate in the elections and assist us," Ahsan said.
"We will prove that elections can be held in a free and fair manner even if it is conducted using ballots," he added.
Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar said EVMs are "controversial". The machines are the "worst" and they can be used for "fraudulence".
"I appeal to the EC to abandon the whole idea of using EVM in the election … ," he said.
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