Need ` 4,500cr for EVMs, joint polls imminent: Panel

■ Shortfall of 12.9L ballot units, law panel told ◗

Over ` 4,500 crore will be needed to buy new EVMs and paper trail machines for “imminent” simultaneous polls to the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies, the Law Commission has said. In a draft report on simultaneous polls, the Law Commission said the Election Commission had said around 10,60,000 polling stations would be set up for the 2019 general election.

The report further said the EC has informed that as of now there was a shortfall of about 12.9 lakh ballot units, 9.4 lakh control units and about 12.3 lakh VVPATs ( voter verifiable paper audit trail machines, or paper trail machines), if simultaneous polls are held. An EVM, that includes a control

In joint polls, no extra expenditure will be involved, except for an additional EVM for each polling station ◗ The panel said at the prevailing rates, 1,751.17cr for conduct of the 2nd joint polls in 2024 will be required for procuring EVMs

unit ( CU), a ballot unit ( BU) and a VVPAT, costs about ` 33,200.

“Thus, the EC has informed that an expenditure of about ` 4,555 crore will be incurred on procurement of EVMs for an imminent simultaneous election,” the report said.

Keeping in mind the average shelf life of 15 years of an EVM, the Law Commission said at the prevailing rates, ` 1,751.17 crore for conduct of the second simultaneous polls in 2024 and ` 2017.93 crore for the third in 2029 will be required for procuring EVMs. After this, ` 13,981.58 crore will be required for procuring new EVMs for the proposed simultaneous elections in 2034.

The EC said the expenditure has been calculated on the basis of prevailing rates. It further said if the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are held together, no extra expenditure will be involved, except for an additional EVM for each polling station, and additional election material such as stationery. The report added that at larger polling stations, additional polling staff may be required in view of the additional EVM.