The Hindu : Kerala News : EVMs to be used in urban body polls

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 11, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

EVMs to be used in urban body polls

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD, MARCH 10 . The State Election Commissioner, N. Mohandas, today said that electronic voting machines (EVM) would be used in Corporations and Municipalities in elections to local bodies in September.

Addressing a press conference here, the Election Commissioner said 7,000 electronics voting machines would be bought from Electronic Corporation, a Government-owned company in Hyderabad. Each machine would cost Rs.11,000.

He said it was not possible to introduce electronic voting machines in panchayats, as 30,000 machines would have to be installed for the purpose.

Asked why the electronic machines used for Parliament and Assembly elections could not be used for the local body elections, Mr. Mohandas said these machines were owned by the Election Commission of India and could not be used for any other election.

He said the wards for local body elections would be delimited. This would take two-and-a-half months. But the updating of the electoral rolls will start from April 16 and the list will be modified on the formation of new wards after delimitation, he said.

He said reservation of women, Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes wards would be decided on a draw of lots. The wards reserved for these sections during the last two terms will be changed

He said a proposal to directly elect panchayat presidents was pending before the Government. Such a system should be put in place to check defection by members, which resulted in frequent change of panchayat presidents.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala