To strengthen electoral process,Pak seeks electronic voting machines from India’s EC

The EC is yet to take a decision,and has written to the Foreign Ministry for its view.

Impressed by their performance,Pakistan has asked the Election Commission of India to provide it with electronic voting machines (EVMs) for use in future elections in Pakistan.

According to sources,the Commission is yet to take a call on the issue and has instead written to the External Affairs Ministry for its views.

The sources said Pakistan is keen to use EVMs in its election process to strengthen the electoral system there.

The EC has already provided details of EVMs and its use to the Pakistan High Commission in India,but is awaiting the Indian government’s view on the issue before taking a call on the Pakistani request.

The sources in the Commission say that the EC is unlikely to spare its EVMs to Pakistan in the near future,keeping in view the forthcoming general elections in the country due in 2014.

Amid strain in Indo-Pak relations especially with Pakistan indulging in repeated ceasefire violations along the Line of Control,there are doubts whether the Indian side will accede to the request.

The EC has,meanwhile,already placed an additional order for two lakh machines for its own use during the Lok Sabha elections.

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The EC has a total of 14 lakh EVMs with it,with half of them being pre-2006 manufactured and the remaining post-2006.

Earlier,Nepal had also sought ECI’s help in providing it EVMs,but India had not acceded it.

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