Dhaka: The Election Commission on Thursday decided to propose the amendment to the Representation of the People Order (RPO) incorporating a provision to use electronic voting machines (EVMs) in national elections.

The decision came at the five-member commission’s meeting held amid boycott of Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukder at Nirbachan Bhaban.

‘We’ve taken the decision to amend the RPO incorporating the EVM issue. It (the RPO amendment proposal) will be sent to the (law) ministry within a few days,’ Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda told reporters after the meeting.

He, however, said they were yet to take the decision whether the EVMs will be used in the next general election to be held at the end of December next.

‘No such decision was taken that the EVMs will be used in the parliamentary elections (11th national election), but we’ll have the preparation,’ he said replying to a question.

About the ‘note of dissent’ placed by Mahbub Talukder over incorporation of EVM provision in the RPO, the CEC said the commissioner disagreed but four other commissioners agreed over the RPO amendment.

‘He (Mahbub Talukder) has disagreed, but we four commissioners have agreed,’ Nurul Huda said adding that it is democratic system.

Within 30 minutes after the Commission’s six-hour marathon meeting that started at 11am, Mahbub Talukder walked out of the meeting raising question over the move to amend the RPO to pave way for the use of electronic machines instead of the ballot papers in the national election like the local body polls.

Justifying the EC’s move, the CEC said, ‘We’ve achieved success using EVMs in the local body elections. Once the legal reform is done, it will create scope for using the EVMs in the parliamentary elections as well.’

Replying to another query whether the EC can collect necessary EVMs within only two and a half months before the next national election, he said the Commission will have preparation to use EVMs in the next general election if there is a congenial situation.

Three other election commissioners—Md Rafiqul Islam, Kabita Khanam and Shahadat Hossain Chowdhury—and EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed were present when the CEC talked to reporters.