After successfully using Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in Bidar in the recent gram panchayat elections, the Karnataka State Election Commission (SEC) has exuded confidence in expanding the system across the State from the next GP polls.
Several officials who were on election duty said that introduction of EVMs would not only save the time, but also avoid casting of invalid votes.
“More importunately, it makes recounting easy. In the ballot system, the recounting of votes consumes at least four hours. It is surely a hectic and frustrating job for the polling officials. This is perhaps one of the reasons why many government officials try to escape from polling duty,” said a senior official here.
Admitting that ballot system has become painful job in GP election for the polling officials, P.N. Srinivasacharya, the State Election Commissioner, said that the Commission too has received feedback asking for the introduction of EVMs in GP polls.
Multiple-choice option
Though he expressed the need to introduced EVMs in GPs, he said that the commission needs different EVMs that have the multiple-choice option.
Unlike in the legislative or Lok Sabha election where the electorates have to elect only one candidate, in GP, the voters have to select multiple candidates.
Thus, different types of EVMs are needed, he said.
Mr. Srinivasacharya said that the formal committee of SECs of the country has mooted the idea of hiring EVMs from the manufacturing company instead of purchasing them.
Speaking to The Hindu , he said that the committee is exploring this possibility by contacting the heads of two EVM manufacturing companies — the Bengaluru-based Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and the Hyderabad-based Electronics Corporation of India Limited (BCIL).
Saving public money
“Since purchasing of the EVM is proving to be a costly affairs for the ECs, we are trying to see whether they could be hired for a minimum period. If that proves cheaper, then, we can save public money”, he said and added that the proposal is still at the nascent stage.
