Govt to use i-voting, EVMs in elections at any cost: Babar Awan

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan said on Thursday that the federal government will ensure the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and i-voting in the elections at any cost, ARY News reported.

Babar Awan said in a statement that he wanted to remove the misunderstanding of everyone that the government will step back from its decision to use EVMs in the elections. He reiterated that the government will not withdraw its decision to go for i-voting and EVMs.

READ: GOVT DECIDES GIVING I-VOTING RIGHT TO OVERSEAS PAKISTANIS

He said that the Supreme Court (SC) has given a very clear verdict regarding internet voting and it would be the contempt of the court by not giving the right of voting to the overseas Pakistanis.

Babar Awan said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was the constitutional regulator to organise polls and it was its prime responsibility to conduct the polls in accordance with the law. He added that ECP could not finalise legislation nor it has such powers.

The PM’s adviser said that the stance of the election commission has no value after the approval of the law. He added that the objections and procedures to stop vote rigging during i-voting have not been told as yet.

Babar Awan censured the opposition parties for levelling baseless allegations against the election reforms. He once again invited the opposition leadership to accept the decision of using EVMs in the elections openheartedly.

READ: GOVT ASKED TO PROVIDE TIME FRAME FOR DEVELOPING SECURE I-VOTING SYSTEM

The PM’s adviser further detailed that the electronic voting machines (EVMs) will be procured by the election commission but not the federal government. He added that ECP’s objections to the EVM-related laws were illegal as the regulator should have tabled its recommendations.

For addressing the reservations on the use of EVMs and i-voting, Babar Awan said that the federal government have listened to the objections of ECP and others for hours. He said that the statements like pouring substances to seize EVMs for vote-rigging were ridiculous.