Municipal polls go the EVMs way

Municipal polls go the EVMs way
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, AUG 30
Municipal elections for eleven municipalities which are due in October will be held through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
This will be the first time municipal elections will be conducted through EVMs in the State and notification amending requisite Rule of the Municipalities Act will be released shortly, a government official said.
The State Government had though amended the Municipalities Act during Monsoon Session of the Assembly to have municipal elections through EVM instead of ballot paper, one of the Rules was not corrected when amendment was effected last month.
Notification adding requisite clause to facilitate elections through EVM will be released shortly and before the election notification announcing date for municipal election is out, adds a government official.
To have elections through EVMs – State Election Commission (SEC) should have 25 per cent of the total requirement of EVMs. It has about 4000 EVMs and necessarily more will be borrowed from Election Commission, said sources in the SEC.
Every year, the SEC adds about 200 EVMs to its stock.
Of the fourteen municipal councils – Ponda Municipal Council (PMC), Sanquelim Municipal Council (SMC) and Corporation of the City of
Panjim (CCP) are not going for elections this time as they are to complete their mandated tenure. The CCP will go for elections in the March next year when its term ends.