Better to widen CCTV surveillance than using EVM: Ex -EC Sakhawat

Staff Reporter :
Former Election Commissioner (EC) M Sakhawat Hussain has recommended widening the surveillance of CCTV cameras instead of using Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the national parliamentary election.
His recommendation came on Wednesday in a view-exchange meeting at Nirbachan Bhaban in Dhaka.  
According to the ex election commissioner, there is fierce debate over using EVM in the election. It is rather better to use CCTV cameras than purchasing EVM for 150 constituencies in the election.
“The money sanctioned for purchasing EVMs could be better used by installing CCTV as many as possible,” he said.
Besides, the commission will be able to thrash spot vote rigging, let it be in paper ballots, with the help of CCTVs, he added. Sakhawat also “appreciated” the EC move to suspend the Gaibandha-5 by-polls following reports of widespread irregularities and said that such actions, when needed, must be continued.
“Otherwise, the nation will judge the EC just as mere passenger, he added.
“If the commission feels that the election is not going smoothly then it can suspend it until the situation is brought under control,” he said.
“The constitution’s Section-119 mentions holding free and fair polls. No other commission has been able to do what was done in the case of the Gaibandha by-election.
“Had this been done in the past the political scene of the country would have been very different.”
Emphasising the importance of confidence among election officers and employees, he said, “You have to make the election officials feel confident so that they can believe you during national polls.
“In the case of the viral video of the Barisal zila election, the EC should support the UNO.”
Sakhawat Hossain also said, “I don’t know why the Ministry of Home Affairs wants to take the responsibility of issuing NIDs.
“This will create complications with the voters’ list in the future.”