EC Sanaullah unaware of EVMs future, opposes transferring NID database

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah has expressed uncertainty about the future of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Bangladesh.

“We do not know what the future of EVMs will be,” said Sanaullah after the second meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission (EC) building on Sunday (January 12).

Sanaullah clarified that the EVM project, which ended in June, has not been fully taken over by the EC. “Although the project concluded, the training component was completed only this week. In this situation, we cannot predict the future of EVMs. However, any decisions from the Reform Commission's proposal will guide us,” he said.

He added, “Our immediate responsibility is to maintain and preserve the existing machines. We will urgently take steps to ensure their upkeep and decide on their future use later.”

On the potential transfer of the National Identity (NID) database to home ministry, Sanaullah highlighted concerns over constitutional conflicts.

“Moving the NID function to another ministry contradicts the constitutional responsibilities assigned to the Election Commission. The Constitution entrusts us with preparing, managing, and controlling elections and voter lists,” he said.

He further argued that since the EC has developed the database independently since 2007, it is illogical to transfer the responsibility of producing NID cards to another entity. 

“This database generates both the voter list and NID. We have built and trained our manpower for this purpose. Transferring this primary data or its management elsewhere is neither practical nor appropriate,” he added.

The EC iterated the need to retain control over the NID database to ensure the integrity and efficiency of the electoral process.