- EVM sharing discussed at meeting of Standing Committee of State Election Commissioners
Bhopal, July 30: In a significant move towards fostering inter-state cooperation in electoral management, Madhya Pradesh has emerged as a frontrunner in a groundbreaking EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) sharing initiative. During a recent video conference of the Standing Committee of State Election Commissioners, discussions centered on optimizing the pooling and sharing of EVMs, aiming for greater efficiency and resource utilization across the nation’s electoral bodies.
The crucial meeting saw the participation of State Election Commissioners from Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Delhi, and Sikkim.
Manoj Kumar Srivastava, the State Election Commissioner for Madhya Pradesh, presented the state’s pioneering EVM Sharing Policy, detailing the framework for lending EVMs to other states on a rental basis. Under this progressive policy, the Chhattisgarh State Election Commission has already received 3,000 EVMs on loan. Furthermore, Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) have been formalized with the State Election Commissions of Jammu & Kashmir and Maharashtra for similar arrangements. Upcoming MoUs are also planned with Uttarakhand and Gujarat, while Sikkim has also expressed interest in availing EVMs under this scheme.
The Standing Committee unanimously endorsed Madhya Pradesh’s innovative EVM Sharing Policy, recommending its adoption across all participating states. This landmark decision is expected to streamline the management of electoral resources, particularly for local body elections (Panchayats and Municipalities).
In a collaborative spirit, the Standing Committee also resolved that all State Election Commissions would make information about their available EVMs and ballot boxes accessible on their respective portals.
