CEC writes letter to PM seeks premises for EVM, i-voting project

ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in a letter to Prime Minister Imran Khan demanded place for the EVM and i-voting project, ARY News reported on Saturday.

The CEC in his letter to PM has wrote that the election commission taking steps for the use of technology in the electoral process.

The CEC has suggested four different buildings in his letter to house the project management unit.

“The guest rooms of Pakistan Academy of Sciences and PCSI can be used for the management unit,” the letter read. “A vacant floor of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the building of Sir Syed Memorial Society can also be provided for the project,” the CEC further suggested.

“The work for recruitment of the I.T. professionals has been in its final stage. The I.T. teams will work for the use of technology in the electoral process for the EVMs and i-voting,” according to the letter.

The federal government has decided to provide electronic voting machines (EVMs) to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to hold local bodies elections in Islamabad in April.

The federal ministry for Science and Technology will provide 3,900 EVMs to the election commission during the period from January to April.

It said that the ECP has been provided details on the timeline and the ministry would also give technical support to the commission which would include giving training for the use of the equipment.

The ECP had sought 3,900 EVMs from the ministry of which 3,100 would be used at 800 polling stations for the local bodies elections of Mayor Islamabad while 800 machines would be used for backup.