Proposal over buying EVM likely to be finalised next week

The project proposal over buying nearly 200,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) ahead of 12th parliamentary election is likely to be finalised next week.

Although a meeting was held on Tuesday, the election commission (EC) could not finalise the decision in this regard. Following the meeting, secretary of EC secretariat Humayun Kabir Khandaker briefed the media.

He said a committee was formed to check the market price of EVM. But the committee is yet to finish their task. They will verify the price and the commission will produce it in the next meeting. Then the EC will take the final decision after analysing everything.

The EC may finalise the decision on Monday in their next meeting, the secretary added.

When asked about the expenditure of the project, Humayun Kabir said no decision has taken yet over the issue. The details would be informed following the meeting on Monday.

Earlier, the commission decided to use EVM at maximum 150 seats while the minimum may be used in one constituency.

There is a debate in the political arena over using EVM in the election. While BNP is terming the EVM a machine of rigging, AL is in favour of using it in all 300 constituencies.