Non-availability of EVM technicians due to UP polls may delay municipal polls in Assam

Guwahati: The assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh and other other states may delay the municipal elections in Assam that were earlier planned to be held in February.
Even as Assam is going to get the older version “M2” EVMs for the urban polls from Bihar “on loan”, non-availability of technicians to check these voting machines thoroughly may push the municipal polls to March.
“The EVMs that were used in Bihar panchayat polls last year are going to be used in ensuing urban polls in Assam. These are being transported from Bihar. However, the technicians and engineers who are about to check these before use in Assam will be busy in UP and other state elections scheduled in February-March. So, there may be a shortage of manpower to conduct the urban polls smoothly in February,” a source in the Assam state election commission told TOI on Thursday.
He said it is mainly logistic issues that can delay the municipal polls. “We are very much confident that the Covid situation will start improving from February,” the official added.
Sound technical condition of the EVMS is going to be crucial as the voting machines are going to be used in the local body elections for the first time in Assam this year. The official said even though it is still uncertain to what extent the third wave of Covid-19 may prolong, preparations are in full swing to conduct the urban polls in the state by this financial year, which ends on March 31.
The EVMs used in assembly polls are “M3” and not the same which are used in panchayat or municipal elections. “The stocks of EVMs to be used in Assam urban polls are mostly lying in Bihar. Scheduling of the polls may vary by a couple of weeks, mainly depending on the availability of the technicians,” the official said.
The panchayat polls in Assam are also being planned in December next year and here too, EVMs are going to be used.
State election commission secretary Pranjit Gogoi said 4,100 EVMs will be brought from Bihar for the municipal polls to be held for 81 urban local bodies in the state.