Five years time is required for the use of Electronic Voting Machine: Kunwar Dilshad

ISLAMABAD, Nov 19 (SABAH): Former secretary election commission of Pakistan Kunwar Dilshad stated that five years time is required for the use of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). He said that Rs 250 billion are required for the implementation of the EVM project. He said that these matters are of high level and these could be done on step by step. The power of chief election commission and election commission cannot be confiscated by the federal government and assembles of four provinces, adding that it has been written in Article 222 of the Constitution. He said that the ECP will move forward according to the constitution.

In an interview with a private TV channel, Kunwar Dilshad raised question that what overseas Pakistani have done for Pakistan. The overseas Pakistanis are just sending money to their families, if they will not send money, the money will be confiscated and their family will die of hunger. He said that it will have to be legislated that who is holding dual nationality and whom to loyal he is, adding that the right of vote could not be given to nine million overseas Pakistanis while closing eyes.

Kanwar Dilshad stated that secretary ECP has given brave remarks in National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice that ECP is not bound to conduct 2023 election through Electronic Voting Machine. He added that in India this process was started in 1984 was completed in 2004 and it took 20 years for completion, how this process could be completed in Pakistan in one and half year. He said that India made Pilot Project and implemented it step by step and after 20 years it was enforced in whole India.

Kunwar Dilshad said that this work is also going to start in Pakistan and it will move forward step by step and will be implemented as different polling stations. He said that the government ministers and spokesperson are telling lie, ECP submitted report about pilot project 18 months ago to speaker national assembly, and also to chairman Senate and also to Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.

Kunwar Dilshad further added that the government ministers and spokespersons repeated several times that ECP is violating section 103 of the Election Act 2017, adding that the government has opened the report from last 8 months, this report is also available on ECP website. He said that the ECP had said in the pilot project that this is impractical plan.

He said that if the opposition challenges the EVM law, Ministry of law, government, speaker national assembly, chairman senate and ECP will certainly be made party in this case. He said that when the ECP will submit reply in the Supreme Court of Pakistan it will be an eye opener for the government.