State cooperatives to embrace EVMs, save crores

SHAILENDRA PARANJPE | Fri, 15 Apr 2016-08:05am , DNA

There are more than 2.25 lakh cooperatives in the state including cooperative banks, cooperative banks, milk societies, cooperative credit societies etc.

All the cooperatives in the state would do away with ballot papers and ballot boxes and save crores of rupees by shifting to electronic voting machines (EVMs) for elections.

There are more than 2.25 lakh cooperatives in the state including cooperative banks, cooperative banks, milk societies, cooperative credit societies etc. A cooperative bank with 15,000 members incurs expenditures to the tune of Rs8 to 10 lakh by using the traditional method of ballot papers and boxes.

An NGO, Political Research and Analysis Bureau (PRAB), had sought introduction of EVMs in elections for the cooperatives. Chandrakant Bhujbal of PRAB had written a letter to Madhukar Chaudhari, commissioner of the election authority of the cooperatives department, on January 19 in this regard. Bhujbal informed that PRAB was involved in creating awareness about the election process and its importance and it also imparts training in this subject.

Taking a note of the letter by PRAB, secretary in the cooperatives department had sent a letter to the election authority in February this year.

Bhujbal informed that the cooperatives department has arrived at a decision to introduce EVMs. He also informed that there are four types of EVMs and the ones used for local bodies or Assembly elections would not be useful for conducting elections for the cooperatives since the number of candidates would be more.

He added that the cooperatives department would be purchasing the EVMs as per its need and it would be affordable taking into account huge expenditure required for conducting elections for individual cooperatives.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-state-cooperatives-to-embrace-evms-save-crores-2202197