The Election Commission (EC) decided on Saturday to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in six constituencies during the upcoming general election slated for December 30.
"The EC decided to use EVMs in six constituencies under city corporations and urban areas during the election," secretary of the EC Helaluddin Ahmad told the media after a meeting at the Agargaon EC office in the capital.
He, however, said the EC would choose the constituencies for the EVM use in the polls on November 28 through random selection.
Earlier the EC took the decision on using EVMs at a meeting that started around 3:30 pm and lasted around two hours on the day.
CEC KM Nurul Huda and four other election commissioners, among others, were present at the meeting.
The EC secretary said that EVMs would be used in 900 polling centres in the city corporation and urban areas during the election.
He said army officials from the signalling corps would be given training on using EVMs.
They (army officials) and ICT officials would later be providing training to polling officials.
Regarding the demand made by BNP, a major component of the Jatiya Oikyafront, and other political parties to the EC for not using EVMs during the polls, Mr Ahmad replied, "We (the EC) decided to use EVMs. So, we will do it,"
He said there would be no ballot paper as an alternative at those centres which will come under use of EVMs in the polls.
He said that around 400 voters could exercise their franchise through using EVMs in each polling booth.
He brushed aside the allegation made by BNP that he was playing a partisan role for the ruling party.
"I condemn their allegation. It is totally baseless," he said. The EC will take a decision on it at a meeting today (Sunday).
Meanwhile, the BNP again requested the EC to take immediate steps for no further arrest of party leaders and activists.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made the request in a letter to the CEC on the day.
Md Salah Uddin Khan, cases and information preservation official of the party, handed over the letter to the EC.
The letter said that despite commitment from the EC that no new arrest of the party leaders and activists would happen after the announcement of election schedule, arrests were still going on.
It (the letter) mentioned the arrested party leaders and activists.
"We request you (the CEC) to immediately take steps for no further arrest of party leaders and activists and release those who have already landed in jail," the letter mentioned.
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