Punjab decides to hold LG polls through EVMs: sources

LAHORE: In a first, the Punjab government has decided to hold local government (LG) elections across the province through electronic voting machines (EVMs), ARY News reported on Wednesday citing sources.

The Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved to amend Punjab local bodies act, said sources.

The new amendment of holding upcoming local bodies polls through EVMs will be made part of the Punjab Local Government Act 2021.

The move came after the joint session of the Parliament in November had passed the bill to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in upcoming elections.

The bills related to the use of EVMs and Second Election Amendment Bill 2021 were presented by Adviser to Parliamentary Affairs Dr Bbar Awan in the joint session of the Parliament.

Yesterday, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had said that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was bound to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in upcoming by-elections after the Parliament passed legislation on the use of EVMs in elections.

‘LG polls in March’

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had announced that the local bodies elections in the Punjab province would be held in the month of March 2022.

“We are going to hold local bodies elections in Punjab in March 2022,” he said adding that Prime Minister Imran Khan had issued directives to Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar and local bodies minister in this regard.

He further shared that a new local bodies bill would also be tabled in the Punjab Assembly by next week.

Sharing the election process, he said that the district representatives and mayor of a city would be elected through a direct vote while a 13-member panel will contest polls in the village council.