The Election Commissions has approved the draft of the amendment of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) paving the way for using electronic voting machine (EVM).
“We have decided to make some amendments to the Representation of the People Order-1972. We received good feedbacks after using EVMs in local elections. So we decided to include EVMs in national polls,” said Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AKM Nurul Huda.
Speaking to media at his city’s office on Thursday (Aus 30), Huda said, “The decision (on the amendment) will be followed due process including that of sending it to the law ministry and the parliament.”
Prior to this, the EC held a five-hour long meeting on the proposal of RPO amendment with its chief in the chair. Started at 11am, it continued till 5pm with an hour break.
The commission, however, is yet to reach a decision whether it will use the EVMs in the upcoming 11th parliamentary election due by the end of this year.
Asked, the CEC said, “We will hold a programme to take everyone’s opinion. If we get favourable response, we will decide (whether to use EVMs in the next polls or not).”
Admitting the placing of note of dissent by Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar, the CEC said, “The EC has taken the decision through democratic process... However, another four commissioners have agreed.”
Earlier in the day, Talukder, one of the five commissioners, walked out of the meeting placing a note of dissent on the proposal to amend the RPO.
The EC is yet to take any initiative on purchasing new EVMs, the CEC informed.