After the success of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in Bidar in the recently held Gram Panchayat elections, the Karnataka State Election Commission has exuded confidence of expanding the system across the State from the next GP polls.
After reports of counting of the votes lasting in some district till early morning, the demand is now being raised from several quarters for introducing EVM system in the GP polls across the State.
Several officials who were on election duty, said that introduction of EVMs would not only save the time, but it also avoids casting of invalid votes.
“More importantly, it makes recounting easy, as in the ballot system, the recounting of votes consumes at least four hours. It is surely a hectic and frustrating jobs 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 a 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 the Commission to introduce EVMs in GP polls.
"No doubt that using the traditional system of ballot papers in the GP election has proved to be time consuming and enormously cumbersome job," he said. Speaking to The Hindu, he expressed the need to introduced EVMs in GPs, however he said that the commission needs different EVMs that have 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.
“Now, after introducing EVM for the first time in Bidar, we can surely hope to extend in the entire state from next GP election”, Mr. Srinivasacharya said.
Hiring EVMs
Mr. Srinivasacharya said that the formal committee of SECs of the country, has mooted the idea of hiring EVM from the manufacturing company instead of purchasing them.
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).
“Since purchasing of the EVM is proving to be a costly affairs for the ECs, thus 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.
