ACC seeks documents from EC over alleged irregularities in EVM purchase
The ACC team tested three EVMs at EC office, finding one to be malfunctioning
An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) team visited the Election Commission office in Agargaon today (26 January) and sought documents from the commission over allegations of irregularities in the purchase of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
"A three-member ACC team launched an inspection at the Election Commission in the wake of allegations that the commission purchased substandard EVMs," ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Nur Alam Siddiqui told reporters at a briefing.
During the operation, the ACC team reviewed the Election Commission's activities and inspected the EVM warehouse. They tested three EVMs, finding one to be malfunctioning.
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"Out of 1.5 lakh EVMs purchased in 2018, some 1.05 lakh machines became unusable," Siddiqui said.
The ACC has sought documents related to the purchase, including pricing information, to determine if there were any irregularities, he added.
The commission has said it will provide the information and data, the ACC official said, adding that IT experts will be appointed if they are needed for this.
He said currently, 618 machines are stored at the Election Commission, 86,000 at the BMTF, and 62,000 at regional offices.
The ACC has already collected some records and has requested further documentation to thoroughly examine the procurement process, said the official.
"The investigation will proceed based on the records provided. If irregularities are found, we will prepare a detailed report," Siddiqui stated.
He went on to say that the findings will help determine whether procurement practices violated regulations or led to financial losses.
