TBT Report
Information technology is increasingly being used for transparency in voting procedures in various democratic countries around the world. The aim of EVM innovation is to reflect people’s efforts to secure voting rights and organize peaceful elections without the use of muscle power and the willingness to take technical assistance in that regard. The use of technology in elections is an accurate and transparent electoral support system.
Eminent citizens of the country gave the above speech in a round table meeting entitled “Use of EVMs in the 12th National Parliament Elections, Fair and Peaceful Elections: Citizens’ Expectations” at the National Press Club on Saturday afternoon, September 10, organized by the Morcha Election Monitoring Forum of 31 observer organizations registered by the Election Commission of Bangladesh.
They said, EVMs are being used in elections in India, Brazil, Bhutan, and Venezuela. The process of voting through EVM has started in various democratic countries including USA, Canada, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, France, and Peru. Although EVMs are not able to identify voters in these countries, the use of technology in elections has been able to make elections more reliable, transparent and impartial. EVMs in Bangladesh are able to identify voters, which EVMs in other countries cannot. As a result, if you vote in this machine, you cannot vote as much as you want by occupying the center. Similarly, one cannot vote for another.
They also said, if the Election Commission has the will, it is possible to ensure 100% of the election slogan “My vote, I will bestow it to whoever I want” in the EVMs invented and used in Bangladesh. Voting cannot be done without the presence of the voters, so the actual presence of the voters can be confirmed by voting in EVMs. Therefore, the role of EVM in eliminating distrust in elections is immense and if the political parties and the Election Commission have the will, it is possible to conduct transparent, defect-free, neutral and peaceful elections through EVM.
The guests were former judge of Supreme Court Appellate Division Siddikur Rahman Mia, VC of Islamic Arabic University Dr Ahsan Ullah, Pro VC of the university Dr. Ahmed Abul Kalam Azad, Pro VC of BUET Dr Abdul Jabbar Khan, General Secretary of the Supreme Court Lawyers Association advocate Abdun Noor Dulal, president of Dhaka National Press Club Farida Yasmin, EVM expert Dr. Mahfuzul Islam, Ekushey Medal awarded journalist Ajay Dash, writer and researcher Dr. Muhammad Masum Chowdhury, agricultural economist Md. Azadul Haque, prominent businessman Md. Iqbal Hossain and others.
