Govt decides timeline for purchasing EVM and internet voting

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The government has decided the timeline for purchasing the electronic voting machine and internet voting (i-voting).

The timeline was decided during a meeting of the federal cabinet on Tuesday.

The forum directed the authorities to shift the intenet voting machines to the Election Commission of Pakistan from June 15, 2022. The NADRA will upgrade the system for i-voting within four months.

Funds will be provided to complete these activities from the Finance Division. The Planning and Development Commission will establish a data centre at H-8.

The Foreign Ministry and embassies in foreign countries will impart awareness about i-voting.

During the meeting, Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz expressed his reservations about the conditions set by the ECP secreatry, terming them unnecessary.

The participants are of the view that the ECP is bound to give the right to vote to overseas Pakistanis. They stressed the need for implementing the timeline to make the next elections tranparent.

On the other hand, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan said that the ECP itself will decide the timeline for purchasing the EVM and staff training, not under instrictions from the government.

He said that they had neither received the timeline over EVM nor knowledge about it. "The ECP wants to use the EVM in the local bodies elections. We assure that the next elections will be tranparent. We will not tolerate any intervention. We are also ready for the early elections," he added.