Election Commissioner Md. Alamgir highlighted the technical aspect of EVM and said, “The first thing to say about EVM is that the results can be changed by programming. Those who say, theoretically may be right. But in terms of reality it is not right at all.”
He expressed his opinion while talking to reporters at his office in the Nirbachon Bhaban (Election Building) on Tuesday (November 15).
Expressing his adamant stance on the use of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the upcoming parliamentary elections, EC Alamgir has presented various arguments in favor of EVM, saying, ‘You can say that any company’s medicines may be adulterated, but it is not the case that all companies’ medicines are adulterated. Our EVM is different.’
The Election Commission (EC) has decided to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the upcoming elections despite the opposition of most political parties and civil society representatives. However, since the beginning, the organization has been claiming that there is no scope for tampering in EVMs. This time, an election commissioner spoke in favor of EVM. He also tried to refute the arguments by which politicians and others oppose EVMs.
The EC said, ‘The second thing is that the programming done in this EVM can only add to it. Candidates who are there can add their votes. Can’t do anything else. Programming is done that way. So there is no chance that someone will manipulate the machine or control from outside. Because the chips used in it, where it is written, it is one-time usable. So once written, there is no opportunity to re-write or edit.’
Stating that there is no internet connection in the EVM, this former EC secretary said, ‘There is no internet connection with the EVM. The connection provided with the ballot unit is customizable. You can’t insert any market bought cable, drive or anything into it. You can’t add any other device except the device that is created for this EVM only.’
Those who oppose EVM say that they do not know – claimed Md. Alamgir. “It just adds and subtracts,” he said, “Like a calculator. As in calculators there is no opportunity to change the program. Our EVMs do not have that facility. Those who say that there is misinformation about EVM, say it without knowing it, without understanding it. They can check in any EVM if they want.”
Meanwhile, the Election Commissioner also presented a comparative picture of how transparent voting can be by ballot and EVM.
Md. Alamgir said that the advantage of voting in EVMs is that there is no opportunity to vote before or after the election or anyone other than the voter can come and vote. There is a weakness, that if the voter is not allowed to enter the secret booth, there is this opportunity. If 10 percent of the voters come to the center, only 10 percent of the votes can be cast. And if 10 percent voters come to the ballot, it is possible to vote 100 percent. There is no chance of fraud through it.
