Following the success of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) at two polling centres in the Khulna City Corporation elections, the Election Commission (EC) has decided to use them at six centres during the upcoming Gazipur City Corporation elections.
According to election management authorities, each of the six centres will have two rooms with EVMs.
Election Commission Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said: “We are digitizing all aspects of the country, and the EC will be no exception. After the use EVMs at six centres in Gazipur, we will be using them for the three remaining city corporation polls as a prelude to the upcoming general elections. We must slowly increase the use of EVMs, as most of the parties want them to be used.”
The EC has already begun purchasing new EVMs, with an additional 1,500 units to be soon added to its initial stockpile of 2,535 EVMs, and a target of having over 10,000 units by the time of the parliamentary elections. The EVMs are being purchased from Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory at around Tk2 lakh each.
According to election commissioner Rafiqul Islam, various steps were taken to overcome the errors and lackings of the Khulna City Corporation election.
“We will be sending an experienced team from the EC to oversee the election. Alongside this, a large number of law-enforcement officials will be present and the wards will have more magistrates than any other election before. The people of Khulna were happy with EVMs, and the election commission has reacted accordingly,” he added.
The Gazipur City Corporation election was originally supposed to be held on May 15, but on May 8, the High Court postponed it by three months. However, the EC appealed to the Supreme Court, and on May 11 the apex court asked the EC to hold the election by June 28.
Seven mayoral, 256 general ward and 84 reserved ward candidates will compete in the Gazipur City Corporation election.
Gazipur City Corporation is comprised of 57 general and 19 reserved wards, with a total number of 1,137,736 registered voters.