ISLAMABAD: Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz has said after signing of the Electoral Reforms Bill, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) would now float tenders to select the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM).

Addressing the ceremony of signing of the Electoral Reforms Bill 2021, in Islamabad, he said the election commission had already constituted three committees, including a technical committee to float the international tenders in the given timeline.

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At the event, President Arif Alvi signed the Election (Amendment) Bill 2021 into law. The bill has already been passed by the parliament. It directs to hold the next general elections through the EVM as well as grants the right of vote to the overseas Pakistanis through I-voting.

Shibli Faraz said the government had taken bold decisions and Prime Minister Imran Khan was confident from day one that elections of 2023 will be conducted through the EVMs.

He said making elections transparent and non-controversial through use of technology was the promise and part of the Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf (PTI)’s manifesto.

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The federal minister said following the 90-day deadline by the prime minister, the science and technology ministry got the prototype of EVM manufactured by the NUST university and experimented it at multiple forums like universities, chambers, and before media.

He said it was now up to the ECP to choose the EVM based on the requirements.