EVM can help check vote rigging

Former chief election commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda said on Monday introduction of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) can help check vote rigging, reports UNB.

"There were widespread allegations of vote rigging in the three city polls held recently. Had the EVM been used in the elections, many things could have been avoided," he told a press conference, organised by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) at its office in the city to present the findings of a study titled, 'DSCC, DNCC and CCC elections 2015: Process Observation'.

ATM Shamsul Huda, also a TIB trustee board member, said when the Election Commission (EC) was trying to introduce EVM during his time, it was BNP that first put objection to it.

He said seven elections were held in neighbouring India using EVM, but nobody raised any question about the EVM use.

The former CEC said there will be a hard task in manipulating elections if the EVM is introduced. "I think, free and fair elections could be held using EVM on large scale,"he added.

Asked whether a free, fair and credible election could be held under a party government, he said if government institutions, including the EC, are strengthened, it is quite possible to hold a free and fair general election under a political government.