<p>There is a complete lack of availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) for the election, according to the State Election Commission. This dire situation is on account of election commission rules.<br /><br />According to the EC rules, the machines which were used for the general elections cannot be removed from the boxes they are put in for six months. And even if the elections, which are due on July 31 are delayed by a few months, the machines cannot be used until December. <br /><br />Over 65 lakh voters are expected to vote in the BBMP elections across the 198 wards according to the estimates of the State Election Commission. Speaking to Deccan Herald, the outgoing State Election Commissioner M R Hegde said “ We will require at least 10,000 machines for the elections. And, usually we expect the Election Commission of India to provide at least 75 per cent of the requirement. But we have received communication that this will not be possible as it is a violation of election commission norms.”<br /><br />And on several ocassions when the assembly election are held immediately after the Parliamentary election, there is a provision to borrow the machines from neighbouring states or any other state within the union. <br /><br />But according to Hegde that option is not available as all states made use of the EVMs for the general elections. This leaves the state government with the only option of having to procure over 10,000 new EVMs. <br /><br />“The general election was held in all states and obviously the rule applies across the union. We do not even have the option to borrow as none of the machines are available now. We might have to purchase the entire lot independently,” Hegde said.<br /><br />At a meeting held with state government officials recently, the State election commissioner had stated the need to arrange for EVMs along with the proposal for funds to organise the election. <br /><br />“We will require about nine crore to manage the expenses for the BBMP election along with the cost of EVMs. I have communicated this to the state government at several meetings,” Hegde said.<br /><br />But while the idea of procuring the new machines seems simple enough, the state government is yet to release the funds to the election commission despite repeated requests. A further indication of the government’s reluctance to hold the BBMP election within the deadline.</p>
<p>There is a complete lack of availability of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) for the election, according to the State Election Commission. This dire situation is on account of election commission rules.<br /><br />According to the EC rules, the machines which were used for the general elections cannot be removed from the boxes they are put in for six months. And even if the elections, which are due on July 31 are delayed by a few months, the machines cannot be used until December. <br /><br />Over 65 lakh voters are expected to vote in the BBMP elections across the 198 wards according to the estimates of the State Election Commission. Speaking to Deccan Herald, the outgoing State Election Commissioner M R Hegde said “ We will require at least 10,000 machines for the elections. And, usually we expect the Election Commission of India to provide at least 75 per cent of the requirement. But we have received communication that this will not be possible as it is a violation of election commission norms.”<br /><br />And on several ocassions when the assembly election are held immediately after the Parliamentary election, there is a provision to borrow the machines from neighbouring states or any other state within the union. <br /><br />But according to Hegde that option is not available as all states made use of the EVMs for the general elections. This leaves the state government with the only option of having to procure over 10,000 new EVMs. <br /><br />“The general election was held in all states and obviously the rule applies across the union. We do not even have the option to borrow as none of the machines are available now. We might have to purchase the entire lot independently,” Hegde said.<br /><br />At a meeting held with state government officials recently, the State election commissioner had stated the need to arrange for EVMs along with the proposal for funds to organise the election. <br /><br />“We will require about nine crore to manage the expenses for the BBMP election along with the cost of EVMs. I have communicated this to the state government at several meetings,” Hegde said.<br /><br />But while the idea of procuring the new machines seems simple enough, the state government is yet to release the funds to the election commission despite repeated requests. A further indication of the government’s reluctance to hold the BBMP election within the deadline.</p>
