bdnews24.com :
Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) introduced to modernise the polling process have become a source of embarrassment for the Election Commission.
The much-hyped machines have remained out of order for nearly two years after the commission stopped using them after detecting errors in three units during city polls between 2011-13.
The EC negotiated with the manufacturers, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), for a way out. However, the last BUET letter raised allegations of contract violation against the commission, adding to the embarrassment . But the EC claims it has not violated the contract.
After the malfunction of the EVMs in 2013, the election commission sent them back to the manufacturer with a request to trace the errors last year.
But BUET returned the machines in March of this year, saying that local batteries were used in the devices, which, it said, was a violation of the contract.
In an accompanying letter, BUET explained why the use of local batteries was a ‘clear violation’ of the bilateral agreement.
As a result, BUET maintained they were ‘no longer bound’ to identify the errors and were sending back the units.
On May 7, the EC’s maintenance engineer, Md Iqbal Javid, again wrote to BUET asking for a ‘full report’ on an emergency basis after testing the errors of the EVM.
He also asked for an explanation on the university’s claim of ‘contract violation’.
The letter said the commission was embarrassed when the EVMs were returned and denied use of local batteries in the control unit during Rajshahi polls. “We cannot understand how the contract was violated in this case.”
The letter said that the EC faced problems during Narayanganj and Narsinghdi polls even when using foreign batteries under the watch of BUET professor SM Lutful Kabir and they could not use them for the polls.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) introduced to modernise the polling process have become a source of embarrassment for the Election Commission.
The much-hyped machines have remained out of order for nearly two years after the commission stopped using them after detecting errors in three units during city polls between 2011-13.
The EC negotiated with the manufacturers, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), for a way out. However, the last BUET letter raised allegations of contract violation against the commission, adding to the embarrassment . But the EC claims it has not violated the contract.
After the malfunction of the EVMs in 2013, the election commission sent them back to the manufacturer with a request to trace the errors last year.
But BUET returned the machines in March of this year, saying that local batteries were used in the devices, which, it said, was a violation of the contract.
In an accompanying letter, BUET explained why the use of local batteries was a ‘clear violation’ of the bilateral agreement.
As a result, BUET maintained they were ‘no longer bound’ to identify the errors and were sending back the units.
On May 7, the EC’s maintenance engineer, Md Iqbal Javid, again wrote to BUET asking for a ‘full report’ on an emergency basis after testing the errors of the EVM.
He also asked for an explanation on the university’s claim of ‘contract violation’.
The letter said the commission was embarrassed when the EVMs were returned and denied use of local batteries in the control unit during Rajshahi polls. “We cannot understand how the contract was violated in this case.”
The letter said that the EC faced problems during Narayanganj and Narsinghdi polls even when using foreign batteries under the watch of BUET professor SM Lutful Kabir and they could not use them for the polls.
