EVM: Whom does this eight thousand crore project aim to please?

Administering Awami League high-ups are quick to utilize Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) rather than polling form paper in every one of the 300 bodies electorate in the following general political decision that is set to occur in late 2023. In any case, it is the sole power of the Election Commission (EC) to choose the matter, no ideological group, administering or resistance. No ideological group can compress the Election Commission in regards to this. In any case, tragically, the decision Awami League has done that up until this point. At a gathering of the AL Central Working Committee on 7 May, the state head and AL boss Sheik Hasina, and the extremely following day, the overall secretary of AL, Obaidul Quader, unequivocally said that democratic in every one of the 300 seats will happen utilizing EVMs. We can’t comprehend how they can say that. Political pioneers can offer just their perspective.

Boss Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal clarified that they don’t have the ability to gather information with EVM in all voting public. They have just 150,000 EVM machines that were gathered by a five-year project that cost 4,000 crore taka. Also, that undertaking will end June 2023. EC can hold votes in favor of just 100 or 110 seats with these EVM machines.

The EC likewise said that they will take a ultimate choice regarding this situation in the wake of exploring and talking about with every ideological group, prominent residents, and partners.

Resistance groups like BNP and Jatiya Party have offered their viewpoint as of now. BNP’s interest is a political decision time interval government rather than the decision party and voting form paper rather than EVM machines. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the secretary general of BNP cleared their position that they will pass on the following political race in the event that that request isn’t satisfied. They think EVM is one more strategy of political decision fixing. In the wake of boycotting the 2014 parliamentary surveys, the BNP challenged the last broad political race. In any case, the party as of late boycotted neighborhood government surveys saying that fair decisions are unrealistic under the AL government. GM Quader, the JaPa administrator repeated Fakhrul’s voice, saying the EVM framework is defective and there is an immense extent of vote-fixing.

We need to save these political comments and get a kick out of the chance to make sense of it from our plebeians’ point. A part of our more established citizens isn’t acclimated with EVMs, the new democratic innovation. So sluggish vote rate and confound of the unique mark is an exceptionally normal situation where EVM has been utilized.

Our famous residents recommend that the EC ought to shun involving EVM in surveys except if there is agreement in regards to the utilization of the innovation. They likewise asked the EC to do whatever it may take to reestablish individuals’ confidence in EVM.

A few specialists propose EC can present a Variable Paper Audit Trail System (VVPAT) at EVM to handle apparatus and doubt. In the VVPAT framework, a printed slip emerges in the wake of casting a ballot and electors leave the stall with this slip. It is additionally useful if necessary for relate. Our adjoining country India presented this framework where EVM is utilized broadly. Yet, supposedly, our Election Commission has not expressed anything on the VVPAT issue.
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An exceptional report distributed in Prothom Alo illuminates us that EC needs to gather three lac more EVMs assuming they are to hold votes in 300 bodies electorate. The cost per EVM machine is two lac 35 thousand taka. So EC needs an extra 8,000 crore taka for the new three lac EVMs. As of now, our monetary condition isn’t in a sound shape. The cost of basics is taking off. A more terrible circumstance might anticipate Bangladesh on the off chance that we don’t make legitimate strides, as the Russia-Ukraine war proceeds. We ought to avoid every superfluous use. Furthermore, here, we have a modest inquiry, for whom does this 8,000 crore taka extend plan to please?

As a state organization, EC shouldn’t so dutiful to the party government. A definitive obligation of the EC is to hold a fair, believable, and satisfactory political race. So EVM ought not be the issue. Ideally, CEC Kazi Habibul Awal will go with the best choice for the majority rule government and individuals.