Local bodies elections

through EVMs: Fawad

–Says govt to provide funds for EVMs, elections to ECP

Ansar M Bhatti

ISLAMABAD, DEC 02 (DNA) – Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday said that local bodies elections will be held through electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Talking to media persons after meeting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) core committee, Fawad Chaudhry said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa local bodies election will be held on December 19 while a new structure for village council will be introduced for Punjab.

Fawad Chaudhry has said that the Punjab government has prepared an amendment in the local bodies bill to conduct it through electronic voting machines (EVMs). While sharing matters discussed during the PTI core committee meeting headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Fawad Chaudhry said that they are ready to hold elections through EVMs and will even pursue coalition parties to support the bill.

“The new amendment will pave way for the local bodies’ elections in Punjab province,” he said adding that the government would extend any cooperation needed to hold elections through the voting machines.

The minister further rejected the impression that EVM would prove costly and said that it would rather make the election process cheaper as the machine would be purchased for a single time and would be used in multiple elections. He further said that the government would provide funds for the EVM and elections to the Election Commission of Pakistan. He further announced that the government is keen to launch sehat card program in Sindh and Balochistan provinces, however, the latter was not supporting the move.

Getting health facilities of Rs1 million is the right of every citizen of the country, however, the Sindh government is playing a role of spoiler in this regard, he said. He lamented that the opposition was not ready to sit with the government on electoral reforms as they wanted to retain the incumbent system to safeguard their rigging practices.

“We have asked the opposition to propose their suggestions on electoral reforms and if they are aimed at strengthening the system then we will surely implement them,” he said.

While criticizing political opponents, Fawad said that opposition is not willing to talk about electoral reforms as they do not want any changes are made in current election system. If opposition has any good suggestions, government is willing to consider them, Fawad told opposition. = DNA