Pakistan-Made E-Voting Machine to End Rigging in Elections

National Institute of Electronics (NIE) has claimed that its e-voting machine will put an end to rigging and ensure impartiality and transparency during the general elections.

Earlier this year in February, Science and Technology Ministry announced that NIE; in collaboration with the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and COMSATS University; indigenously developed the e-voting machine.

While explaining the voting process through the indigenously manufactured e-voting machine; Technical Research Director NIE, Kamran Bhatti; said that symbols of all contesting political parties will be visible on the vote casting unit of the e-voting machine.

Voters will only need to press the button of the candidate they want to vote for. A green light on the ballot box of the voting machine will notify the voters; that their votes have been cast successfully.

The e-voting machine will compile the final tally and ballot paper report once the polling ends. The records of the e-voting machine could be easily furnished in the courts as well in case the election results are challenged.

Director NIE added that voters will be verified through thumb impressions that will be provided by NADRA on the day of general elections. He claimed that the NIE voting machine cannot be hacked; that will ensure the safety of the data of the voters.

Since assuming power; Prime Minister Imran Khan has been making efforts to introduce an e-voting system in the general elections to ensure impartiality and transparency.

In November 2020, PM Imran Khan had announced electoral reforms for free and fair elections in the country. The reforms included an e-voting system for general elections; open balloting through a show of hands during Senate elections, and allowing overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes.