Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda has said they will not use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in polls to the two Dhaka city corporations if everybody wants.
He made the comment at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day training for returning and assistant returning officers assigned for Dhaka south and north city corporations, on Wednesday, reports UNB.
“EVM is braving various challenges. There is no inconvenience in operating EVMs. People can exercise their franchise successfully using this,” he said.
File photo of an electronic voting machine | Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka Tribune
BNP has been opposing the use of EVMs. Its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said the EVMs are a “completely faulty system”. “We think the people’s verdict will not be reflected if the EVMs are used,” he said.
EVMs were first used in Bangladesh in the 2012 Chittagong municipality polls. It was later used in Narayanganj and Comilla city polls.
The machines were also used in the last general election.
“We have continued its use because we got positive results,” CEC said, acknowledging that polls to Dhaka city corporations will be challenging for the Election Commission (EC).
Dhaka South City Corporation and Dhaka North City Corporation are scheduled to go to polls on January 30.
“The election will be competitive,” the CEC said, telling the commission officials not to act biased.
