Staff Reporter :
In an Election Commission (EC) meeting yesterday it agreed to a proposal to amend the RPO-1972 (Representation of People Order) in order to use electronic voting machines (EVM) in the next general election scheduled for December.
The move however saw the walk out of EC member Mahbub Talukdar from the meeting in half an hour time as the meting started at 11.00 am and continued till 5.00 pm. Later he sent a note of descent to make his position formally clear.
Talukdar later justified his opposition to the move on the ground that the present political environment is not supportive of it and procurement of EMV machines and training of manpower will not be possible in the short time. He said he did not see practical ground for such haste decision at a cost of Tk 4,000 crore.
Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda however remained firm on the move with support from four other members and decided to send it to the law ministry for vetting. He said the EC has decided to create the legal ground for use of EVM by amending the RPO, it has not finally decided to use at the EVM in the election. It will depend on the situation.
The EEC’s move has however drawn sharp reaction from the opposition. Many believe that the CEC move aimed at helping corruption without being sure that the EVM will be used in election at the end.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam termed it as conspiratorial aimed at manipulating the next election in favor of the government. Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Qadir has however supported it saying it will help reduce time for polling.
Meanwhile leaders of the newly set up Jokta Front (JF) said this is a suspicious move in the run up to election. In a statement to the pres on Thursday JF chairman Prof AQM Badrudduza, JSD president ASM Rab and Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the haste move of the EC has created misgiving in public mind.
They said even in India the opposition has rejected voting using the EVM machine. Countries like the USA and Holand have also banned the use of EVM for being vulnerable to manipulation. Our EC’s move can’t be understood, they said.
Mahbub Talukdar in his note of descent said, “I believe the EVM can be used gradually in the local election but I do not support the initiative to amend the RPO to use the EVMs in the 11th national election. I am issuing the note of dissent to differ with the decision of the commission,” he wrote.
He has cited ‘existing political conflict’ and ‘lack of skilled manpower’ as the reason for his objection. Talukdar has issued ‘notes of dissent’ at least on three occasions since the present five-member commission led by KM Nurul Huda took over in February last year.
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Talukdar told bdnews24.com when it sought his comments on his walkout.
Justifying the EC’s move to reporters the CEC said, “We’ve achieved success using EVMs in the local body elections. Once the legal reform is done, it will create scope for using the EVMs in the parliamentary elections as well.”
Replying to another query whether the EC can collect necessary EVMs within only two and a half months before the next national election, he said the Commission will have preparation to use EVMs in the next general election if there is a congenial situation.
Three other election commissioners — Md Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury — and EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed were present when the CEC talked to reporters.
EC secretary Helaluddin Ahmed earlier said, “The RPO will not be amended as there is not much time left for the election, However the Election Commission suddenly initiated a process to amend the RPO and the EC officials prepared a project proposal of around Tk 40 billion to buy the EVMs.
The first phase of the EC meeting on RPO amendment on Aug 30 concluded without any decision. The meeting resumed on Thursday.
The ruling party and the opposition had a different opinion on use of EVM in the election. The chief election commissioner had said the EVMs will be used in the 11th national election only if all political parties reach a consensus. But his statement and action appears quite different.