ECP forms committees to implement legislation on EVMs, internet voting

ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (DNA): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has
formed committees to implement legislation on electronic voting machines
(EVMs) and i-voting, days after the joint session of Parliament approved
bills regarding them.

According to the ECP, three committees have been formed with one looking
into its technical aspects, the second one determining the expenditure
to be incurred on the process and the third one suggesting lacunas in
the legislation and rules.

The technical committee would be headed by the secretary of the election
commission and would look into the working of the EVMs and internet
voting. The committee would prepare a request for proposal (RFP) and
identify where they could be used.

The second committee would be led by an additional secretary admin and
it would determine the expenditure to be incurred on adopting voting
through EVMs and internet voting. The body would also devise a mechanism
for pilot testing and the use of the machines.

The ECP shared that a third committee would be headed by
director-general law and it would suggest on amendments in currently
applied legislation and rules with regard to the EVM and internet
voting.

On November 18, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) secretary said
on he is not sure that electronic voting machines (EVMs) would be used
in the next general election.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Law
and Justice, the secretary said it is not clear whether the EVMs would
be used in the next election or not.

He maintained there are challenges in using EVMs that need to go through
14 stages of trials before they are used in the general election due in
2023.

The commission will have to run three to four pilot projects before
using voting machines in the election, he added.

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