The Secunderabad Cantonment Board’s (SCB) plan to move from ballot box to electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the upcoming ward elections remains unclear as it is yet to get Election Commission (EC) nod.
SCB Chief Executive Officer Sujatha Gupta said during a special boarding meeting last month that EVMs would be used for the first time during polls scheduled on January 11. The use of EVMs was mooted during 2008 elections but the EC did not approve of it, forcing SCB to conduct ballot polls.
For the upcoming election, schedule has already been notified. Sources in SCB said they are apprehensive about EVMs as keeping with the board’s schedule would mean they have until finalisation of voter’s list on December 6, to procure EC’s nod for using EVMs. Sans EC’s approval, SCB has to conduct ballot polls.
After the election returning officer took charge on Monday, a proposal was sent to Bhanwarlal, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Andhra Pradesh, seeking permission to use EVMs. SCB elections would require around 450 EVMs.
Though the CEO has not seen the proposal, he said it would be forwarded. “I am yet to see the proposal. I would forward it to EC with our recommendation up on receiving it,” Mr. Bhanwarlal said.
Use of EVMs would make counting of votes faster and also reduce manpower required for polls, besides reducing possibility of malpractice. SCB has an electorate of over 1.58 lakh.
