ECP raises concerns regarding use of EVMs

• Foreign company gives a demo of different types of EVMs to the ECP.
• ECP chief and members raise concerns with the foreign company regarding the use of EVMs.
• Foreign company assures ECP that the EVMs can be further improved in the light of their questions and concerns.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan Sikandar Sultan Raja and Election Commission of Pakistan(ECP) members have raised concerns and questions regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), reported Geo News Tuesday.

A foreign company demonstrated different types of EVMs to the ECP.

The ECP was briefed about the different functions, use, hardware and software used in the EVMs.

After the demonstration, the ECP chief and members informed the foreign company about their concerns regarding the use of EVMs in the polling process.

At this, the foreign company assured the ECP that the EVMs can be further improved in the light of their concerns.

ECP Chief Raja said that the commission believes in the transparency and impartiality of the polling process, and is of the view that technology should be used in the elections.

'Electronic voting machine ready'

Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz had announced the development of the electronic voting machine at a press conference in Islamabad on August 3, saying that the machine was ready to use.

The minister said that no tampering can be done with the machine since it does not involve the use of the internet.

Later, Faraz also invited Free and Fair Election Network and Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency to inspect the newly-developed EVMs.