Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Rtd.)Shahdat Hossain Chowdhury informed that they don’t want to back track from the decision of using EVM in the upcoming DNCC and DSCC polls.
He said that, ‘We don’t see any problem in using EVM in the city polls. So we decided to hold polls through using EVM.’
He told all these to barta24.com on Wednesday (Jan.1).
Asked whether the BNP mayoral candidate of DNCC wanted to discuss the EVM issue with the commission, he said his father, Abdul Awal Mintu, wanted to meet me, and he was supposed to come two days ago. But later he sent the news that he is sick, cannot come. I told him (Mintu) he can come anytime he wants.
"There is no problem in EVM, EVM functioning is transparent. We are saying in a loud voice," We want to strongly state that EVM is a machine where there will be two plus two will be four, not five. If voting is done through EVM there will be no allegations. In terms of transparency and acceptance, I think EVM is the best. "
He said that if you do not want to vote in EVM, there will be another allegation the vote was held in the previous night that is another problem. In the last JS election vote was held by EVM in six constituencies only. You can blame otherwise but not accusing the EVM. They can give polling agents, we have invited. If they want transparent election then EVM is the best choice.
Asked if the commission could decide not to use the EVM before the city elections, he said the commission had not say about the city elections that it would be in the EVM itself. There is no alternative. That decision was made, unless the Commission changes. Generally, we try to make that try to determine the system when announcing a schedule. If we don't tell EVM we don't do it in EVM. If I say EVM again, I will do the same. This is our practice.