Page 49 - voice-international-oct2022

Novel Endevours

chosen to utilize electronic voting machines in no there were 14 thousand 600 or more polling booths
more than 150 seats. in about 2 thousand 600 centers in Dhaka North
With the 150,000 EVMs it now owns, the and South City. About 35,000 EVMs were used in
commission can organize elections for 70 to 80 the two city elections. Two members of the armed
constituencies. To conduct elections in more seats, forces were deployed at each center to provide
the EC must buy new EVMs. Between November technical support and the final mock voting was
2023 and January 2024, 300 constituencies will held on January 28.
vote in the 12 general election. He continued, “They Since 2010 various experiments were started
th
will work on the matter so that the public gain a with this EVM by using it in certain centers in
thorough understanding of EVM and the voting various elections. The Election Commission has also
process, and then they will set up promotion of the used EVMs in the recent Gazipur, Barisal, Rajshahi,
subject.” and Sylhet City Corporation elections. For example,
Especially before the announcement of the in the Barisal City Corporation elections, voters
schedule in October 2018, whether there is a need voted through electronic voting machines in 78
to mess with EVMs, or it was said that the EC is not booths in 11 centers of 4 wards.
ready or capable of using EVMs on a large scale. Before that, the voting process was completed
The use of EVMs will require an amendment in through electronic voting machines in 14 centers
the Representation of the People Order (RPO) etc. of the City Corporation of Chittagong and 58
However, the Election Commission has already made centers of the City Corporation of Narayanganj.
all its preparations for the city elections and has On January 5, 2012, several polling stations of the
succeeded in using EVMs. In 2018 itself, an initiative City Corporation of Comilla were held for the first
was taken to buy one and 50000 EVMs at a cost of time through the EVM system. However, on March
Tk 3,829 crore Bangladeshi Taka. 30, 2017, the second full election of Comilla City
Although at that time 2,64000 EVMs were Corporation was held through the use of electronic
needed in 300 seats where 2 lakh 20 thousand voting machines or EVMs made with indigenous
polling booths were estimated. However, 132000 technology. This was the history of the use of
thousand EVMs were required for 150 seats. And technology in polling.

October 2022 | VoICE International | 49