EC secy for EVM in urban areas

FE Team | Published: October 27, 2018 22:02:12

Our Correspondent
CHATTOGRAM, Oct 27: Election Commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed spoke for using electronic voting machine (EVM) in urban areas if the Representation of People Order (RPO) is amended.
Voters must be ready to use the EVM vote-casting system developed with the latest technology so it cannot be rigged from outside, he said on Saturday.
"There is no chance to vote without smart card or voter card or voter's presence. Vote rigging is impossible through an EVM," Mr Ahmed added.
"There is no chance of any other illegal way of voting," he said at an EVM exhibition at Shilpakala Academy in the port city in the morning.
Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Md Ilyas Hossain chaired the event.
Additional Divisional Commissioner Shankar Ranjan Saha, DIG of Police Khondakar Golam Faruk, Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mahbubur Rahman and Police Super Nur-E-Alam Mina also spoke.
Chattogram regional election office organised the maiden EVM exhibition here aimed at creating awareness among the voters.
Mr Ahmed said the EVM vote casting was first introduced in the country through Chittagong City Corporation election on 17 June, 2010.
Later, the system was applied in Cumilla, Narsingdi, Tangail and some other elections, he mentioned.
The elections were fair and voting ended smoothly. Voters cast vote without interruption, he argued.
Apart from installing 15 EVMs for experimental use by voters at the expo, organisers made power-point presentation on the use and benefit of the system.
Mr Ahmed said some people are critical of the EVM use in the upcoming general election.
"When you go for a new system, you will face some criticism. Many people were critical when mobile phone was introduced in the country," he added.
"But it is now almost unthinkable to move without a cellphone because it has given us motion."
The EC executive said some people are suspicious of the EVM system. But it is an old version evolved by Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.
One will learn about the result of the vote within four to five minutes, he stated.
Elections in almost all countries, including in Europe, America and India, are now being held under the system, Mr Ahmed mentioned.
The EVMs are taken to the centres on the polling day before 8:00 am and the machines are so programmed that they do not open before 8:00 am.
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