Fed govt okays provision of EVMs to ECP for Islamabad LB elections

ISLAMABAD: 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, ARY NEWS reported.

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

The handing over of the EVMs to the ECP would begin from January 31 with five machines, followed by 45 more machines to be handed over until March 15.

“A total of 2,000 more EVMs will be handed over to the ECP until April 10,” the ministry said and added that the last batch of 1,850 machines would be handed over on April 25.

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 has sought 3,900 EVMs from the science and technology 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.

Read More: ECP wants 205,000 EVMs to hold local bodies elections in Punjab

Yesterday, Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz said that the upcoming local bodies’ elections in Islamabad will be held through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The LG polls in Islamabad will be held in mid of April this year, Shibli Faraz said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad, adding that the government is cooperating with the Election Commission of Pakistan regarding the use of EVMs.