ACC seeks documents from EC over 'EVM purchase irregularities'

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sought documents from the Election Commission over allegations of irregularities in purchase of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Nur Alam Siddiqui later on Sunday briefed the media.

He said: "A three-member ACC team launched an inspection at the Election Commission in the wake of allegations that the commission purchased substandard EVMs."

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.

"Out of 1.5 lakh EVMs purchased in 2018, some 1.05 lakh machines became unusable," Siddiqui added.

The ACC has sought documents related to the purchase, including pricing information, to determine if there were any irregularities, said the EC official.

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.