Islamabad
PTI-led government has prepared schedule for use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and I-voting, it emerged Tuesday.
According to details, the federal cabinet during its meeting on Tuesday approved cabinet committee’s recommendations regarding EVMs.
Minister for Science and Technology and committee’s convener Shibli Faraz presented recommendations before the Federal Cabinet.
During the briefing, Shibli Faraz told cabinet that Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had formed a technical committee under its secretary. However, the government showed reservations over the committee and noted that TOR’s were unable to determine feasibility and possibility for use of EVMs in next general elections.
The cabinet approved timeline of December 15 to finalize technical details.
According to sources, tenders of EVMs will be issued on January 1, 2022. Cabinet also approved to award contract for purchasing EVM by April 1, 2022.
The voting machines will be supplies from June 15, 2022 and training of operational staff will be started on the same day. EVMs will be provided to ECP from June 15 2023.
The federal cabinet in its meeting directed all ministries and divisions to cooperate with ECP to implement the plan. Finance ministry has been ordered to provide timely funds to ECP. Ministry of planning was directed to provide ECP with land for establishing EVM Warehouse at Islamabad’s H-8 sector. Foreign and Information ministries have been directed to run an awareness campaign for EVMs.
