Both EVMs and ballot papers in Bihar panchayat polls

The panchayat polls in Bihar, due to begin in August this year, will be conducted both through electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers, a top poll official said, citing shortage of EVMs

The panchayat polls in Bihar, due to begin in August this year, will be conducted both through electronic voting machines (EVMs) and ballot papers, a top poll official said, citing shortage of EVMs.

HT Image

Earlier, State Election Commission had said these polls would be conducted entirely through EVMs.

Under the new plan, elections for all four posts in the three-tier panchayat raj institutions of gram panchayat, mukhiyas, panchayat samiti members and district board members, would be held through EVMs. In case of gram kutcheries, which have judicial functions, election to the posts of sarpanch and panch would be held through ballot papers, sources said.

SEC secretary Yogendra Ram said the preparations were afoot to hold the polls through both EVMs and ballot papers.

The SEC had foreseen a requirement around 7-8 lakh EVMs for conducting the polls for all posts through EVMs in less number of phases. But reports from various states about lack of availability of single-post EVMs (an old model) has put paid to plans.

“As per our latest assessment, we expect to get around 2 lakh single-post EVMs from southern and northern states. So far, there is confirmation of about 1.83 lakh EVMs. That’s why we have to think of conducting the polls both through EVMs and ballot papers,” said an SEC official engaged in poll preparations.

In all, there are total 2.58 lakh posts in the PRIs, of which 1.14 lakh are of ward members in gram panchayats and an equal number of panch in the gram kutcheries.

The panchayat polls, scheduled to held in March and April, have got delayed first due to dispute between SEC and Election Commission of India ( ECI) over getting EVMs and later due to the second wave of the Covid pandemic in April.

Meanwhile, sources said nodal officers from all 38 districts in the state have been already dispatched to various states to ferry the EVMs within next one week so that the first level checking of voting machines could begin from July 15.

There are possibilities that the SEC will be sending the schedule of polls to the state government for approval in the next few days so that a formal notification is issued.