India has provided Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and ballot units for the use in by-elections to be held in six constituencies on April 10.

At a function in Kathmandu Thursday, Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood symbolically handed over the EVMs to Secretary of the Election Commission in the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokharel.

In addition to 470 new EVMs, 1212 Battery Packs and 400 Ballot Units are being supplied to the EC.

The total value of the equipment being supplied now is Rs. 12 million, the Indian embassy said. India had also extended technical assistance in training of Election Commission of Nepal officials in use of EVMs. Other support provided to Election Commission of Nepal includes supply of a ballot paper-printing machine as well as vehicles for use during the CA elections in April 2008.

India had earlier supplied 200 EVMs and 600 additional ballot units for use in the CA elections of April last year. These had been used in a pilot project in Kathmandu 1 constituency, introducing the electronic voting system. nepalnews.com Apr 02 09