CEC says ECP to test EVMs effectiveness in LB polls

Says MoS&T not responded to commission’s letter on issue

ISLAMABD:

Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has said that the ECP wants to test the effectiveness of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the local government polls that are scheduled to be held in near future in the country.

Addressing the media, the commissioner maintained that the ECP was reviewing all aspects of the EVMs. He said the ECP was “ready even if the polls are held early [in the country]”.

“[The ECP] wants to carry out pilot run of the EVMs in the local bodies polls.,” the said, clarifying, “The Ministry of Science and Technology has not responded to the ECP [in this regard].”

Earlier, speaking on National Voters’ Day, the CEC negated the impression of a “rift” with the government and vowed to hold next general polls scheduled for 2023 in the country in a “transparent” manner.

Meanwhile, the ECP paid fees to the forensic science laboratory to carry out the audit of the NA-133 by-election videos wherein voters could allegedly be seen in queues with their CNICs and selling their votes on oath.

Foreign funding case

The ECP summoned an in-camera meeting on December 9 (Thursday) to examine a report presented to it by the scrutiny committee auditing the foreign funds of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).

The commission would de-seal and examine the report before taking up the case for an open hearing, sources said. The ECP would proceed with the matters and decide its course of action in light of the report.