Union Budget 2021: Law Ministry gets allocation for purchases of EVMs by EC

Election Commission will get Rs 1,000 crore in the next fiscal year for buying new Electronic Voting Machines, according to the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday.

“The provision is meant for providing funds to Election Commission for procurement of Ballot Units, Control Units and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail Units by Election Commission and ancillary expenditure on EVMs and destruction of obsolete EVMs,” the budget papers stated referring to the Rs 1,000 crore allocation for capital expenditure.

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The budget also allocated Rs 169.30 crore to the Commission for meeting carry forward liabilities for the conduct of Lok Sabha elections, issuing photo identity cards for voters and meeting other election expenses such as preparation and printing of electoral rolls.

Sitharaman has also allocated Rs 776 crore to set up the infrastructure for the subordinate judiciary.

The allocations find mention in the budgetary provisions for the Law and Justice Ministry, which is the nodal ministry for the Election Commission.

The Commission has also been allocated Rs 249.16 crore – mainly for the establishment related expenditure of the poll panel and for the expenditure to be incurred on the purchase of land and pre-construction activities for additional building for the Election Commission which is coming up in Dwarka suburb of the national capital.

Obsolete EVMs are destroyed under the supervision of an expert unit following a set protocol. A voting machine has an average life of 15 years.

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The Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) are the two public sector undertakings which manufacture the EVM.

The ministry has also been allocated Rs 100 crore for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The provision is for meeting "carry forward liability" in respect of charges for conduct of general Lok Sabha elections, the budget document said.

Another Rs 7.20 crore has been allocated for elector photo identity cards.

Besides, the budget also earmarked Rs 200 crore for setting up fast track special courts for expeditious trial and disposal of cases pending under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The Centre had approved the setting up 1,023 fast track special courts to dispose of pending rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, cases across the country.

Under the "other election expenses" head, the ministry has been allocated Rs 57.10 crore. The provision is for reimbursement of central government's share on normal election expenditure to the state and Union Territory governments and the cost of preparation and printing of electoral rolls, the document said.

(With PTI inputs)