DHAKA: A select group of 25,000 Chittagong voters will become the trailblazers when the Election Commission tosses its preparation for the launch of electronic voting system in the country, graduating from the outworn balloting.    

Officials said the Election Commission has decided to introduce e-voting through the exercise of the system in 14 polling booths of a ward in the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) elections, scheduled for June 17.

“E-voting will take place in 14 polling stations of the ward-21 in Jamalkhan area of the port city. Each of over 25,000 voters in the area will cast three votes through the new method,” Election Commissioner Brig-Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain told banglanews24.com.bd.
 
The EC made the decision after experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) agreed to provide technical assistance for smooth operation of e-voting machines, said an EC official.

A technical committee would be formed with EC officials and IT experts from BUET, Dhaka University and Bangladesh Computer Council to ensure smooth operation of e-voting machines on the polling day, the official added.

In exercise of its authority under the Local Government (City Corporation) Act 2009, the EC promulgated the rules on April 6 this year giving detailed procedure of usage of e-voting machines in election for the first time in Bangladesh.

The EC earlier had decided to introduce e-voting through Dhaka City Corporation polls but could not proceed on its decision as the government expressed reservations about the election date.

“Introduction of e-voting is another step forward towards modernization of the country's election process,” Sakhawat Hossain said.  

The old mode of voting by using ballot paper and ballot box is riddled with complains and scandals of vote fraud through stuffing or hijacking ballots in many cases.     

The Institute of Information Communication Technology (IICT) of BUET has produced 130 e-voting machines for casting and counting votes. IICT experts will provide the commission with technical assistance on the polling day in line with an agreement signed between the EC and the IICT, said EC officials.

Each machine has control, ballot and display units, which are interconnected and run by batteries. On completion of polling, presiding officers will send the machines to returning officers.

“The election tribunal might ask for a recount of votes stored in the machine's memory, if necessary,” the EC official said.

BDST: 1920 HRS. June 1, 2010
AKR/LY/MUA