By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Election department, Rowell Lyngdoh, on Tuesday said that the State Government is yet to receive any direction from the Election Commission of India (ECI) for implementation of the paper trail Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the State.
“We would definitely comply if there is any such directive from the ECI,” Lyngdoh said while replying to a cut motion moved by NPP legislator James K Sangma in the Assembly on Tuesday.
Highlighting the achievements of the State Election department, Lyngdoh said Meghalaya is the only State in the country to achieve 100 per cent Photo Electoral coverage and 100 per cent distribution of EPICs.
“The quality of the electoral rolls is one of the best in the country and has been appreciated by the ECI. Meghalaya is also the only State which has brought out the Election Book compiling election results right from the inception of the State besides the regular specific election books,” Lyngdoh said.
He also informed that Meghalaya had also received the best electoral practice award for development of GPS application in election management software.
Stating that the Election department conducted the recently-concluded Assembly election smoothly, the Deputy Chief Minister said that there was no re-poll and no election petition.
“The enforcement of the model code of conduct during the last election was the best in the country. The complaints of violation of model code of conduct received have been the least in the country,” Lyngdoh added.
Earlier, the NPP legislator had urged upon the Government to implement the paper trail EVMs in the next Assembly election.
“A lot of questions have been raised over the existing EVMs. To remove the doubts from the minds of the people, the best available solution is the introduction of the paper trail EVMs,” Sangma said while moving the cut motion.
He said that the Supreme Court had also issued a directive for the implementation of the paper trail EVMs.
The NPP legislator also spoke in favour of making the summary revision of the electoral rolls a continuing process.
“What is happening at present is that the summary revision are being organised in a big way only at the time of elections. Personally, I have not seen the Election department conducting the summary revision exercise on a regular basis,” Sangma said, adding that summary revision on a regular basis would create a platform for those people who have attain the age of 18 years to get themselves enrolled.
Besides other documents like Birth and Caste Certificates, he said that the Government should also consider recognizing the certificates issued by the Nokma and Rangbah Shnong as valid documents for people to get themselves enrolled in the electoral rolls.
While expressing concern over the presence of duplicate voters, Sangma said that there was a large presence of duplicate voters along the Assam-Meghalaya border where people have EPIC cards of both the states.
“I have been told that there are large numbers of dual voters in Ampati and Mahendraganj constituencies,” Sangma said while also urging the Election department to take corrective measures to detect these dual voters.