Voters, polling officers happy to use EVMs in Khulna city polls

Voters and polling officers expressed their satisfaction over the use of electronic voting machines or EVMs in the Khulna city polls.

Masum Billahand Subir Roy from Khulnabdnews24.com
Published : 15 May 2018, 11:58 AM
Updated : 15 May 2018, 11:58 AM

The Election Commission used new EVMs at the Sonapota Govt Primary School centre and the temporary centre in PTI Jasimuddin Hostel. The first served at least 1,099 voters while the second 1,879 voters.

“It’s awesome that I could vote just by pressing a button; there wasn’t any problem at all,” said Hafiz Meer after casting his vote at the temporary centre in PTI Jasimuddin Hostel.

Tahmina Begum, 57, had voted many times using the traditional system. She found the EVM system much easier.

“Earlier it was difficult to find the voter number but this time my identity was found just by using my fingerprint,” she said.

“I went to the booth and voted by pressing the buttons; it was very easy.”

Using an EVM in voting makes it hassle-free, said Mamunur Rashid, presiding officer of the Sonapota Govt Primary School centre.

“The presence of voters was thin in the morning, but the number increased later. However, the waiting time wasn’t long and none of them had to go back without voting,” he said.

However, the senior citizens who are often technologically inexperienced took longer to vote, said the presiding officer. A technical team of EC assisted them.

“The centre is under CCTV surveillance and we had instructions on screen for voters.”

He said the polling agents were satisfied as a screen showed the picture of voters once the fingerprints are taken. No-one is confused with the identities of voters.