‘Only one company machines in one segment’
Number of voters touches 8 million
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 28: The Election Commission of India has dropped some hints of holding Assembly elections along with Lok Sabha polls by doubling number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in Jammu and Kashmir from 14,000 to around 28,000 with about 15 to 20 percent reserves as per the standing instructions.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Election Commission of India had initially dispatched about 14,000 EVMs to Jammu and Kashmir for conduct of Lok Sabha elections, which were due in the State along with other parts of the country in April-May. However, during past couple of days, the Commission has sent another 14,000 EVMs to the State.
“If Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are held simultaneously, two EVMs are kept at one polling station-one each for the candidates of two polls. The electorates had to cast two votes then-one to elect the Lok Sabha member and another for the Member of Legislative Assembly using two separate EVMs,” sources said, adding that doubling number of the EVMs has given some hints that the Commission might go for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Jammu and Kashmir has around 11,000 polling stations for both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. For simultaneous polls, the Commission required 22,000 EVMs. However, around 20 percent EVMs are kept as reserved for replacement of any defective machine or as precautionary measures.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Shailender Kumar told the Excelsior that the Election Commission has directed that EVMs of only one company should be used in one Assembly segment.
The Commission procures EVMs from Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
“A guideline has been issued by the Election Commission that EVMs of only one company should be used in entire Assembly segment,” Kumar said, adding that the EVMs would be distributed accordingly and representatives of the political parties of the State have been briefed on this.
Sources, however, said that even if the Election Commission of India decided to defer the Assembly elections, the additional EVMs would remain in the State and used as and when the polls are held. It may be mentioned here that the machines used in any elections-whether Lok Sabha or Assembly-had to be preserved for a specific period of time.
It may be mentioned here that concerns have been raised over simultaneous conduct of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in view of disturbed conditions in the Kashmir valley as it would require presence of large number of additional para-military forces for smooth conduct of polls.
However, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had assured both Houses of the Parliament that the Central Government was ready to provide any kind of assistance to the Election Commission if it desired to hold simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the electorates of Jammu and Kashmir have reached around eight million after extensive three and half month long summary revision of the electoral rolls conducted by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu and Kashmir.
Final electoral rolls of the State would be published on January 31, sources said.
However, tentative figures revealed that electoral rolls of the State have crossed 79 lakh and were close to touch 80 lakh.
Eighty lakh voters will be eligible to use their right to franchise in the Parliamentary polls. However, the West Pakistani refugees, who are enrolled as voters for Lok Sabha elections, can’t vote in the Assembly polls for being non-State Subject. Their names are deleted from the rolls of Assembly elections, sources pointed out.
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