Procuring 1.5 EVMs a politically sensitive issue

Afsan Chowdhury, Researcher, Political Analyst:
Procuring 150,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) is a politically sensitive issue. The Election Commission should have talked to the political parties before taking the decision to use EVMs for the next general election. Is there any fundamental difference between the former and the current Election Commission?
Should not the Election Commission give it a thought as to how much time it will take for completing tender procedures before deciding to procure 150,000 EVMs? We should always comply with tender procedures for any project and we should take the decision long before. Because, we know it very well that it takes some time to implement any huge task. There is nothing to say if the decision to use EVMs is taken without considering all aspects.
The row over the use of EVMs has made it sufficiently clear that the democratic practice in making a decision is found wanting at the Election Commission.
If an Election Commissioner says that he cannot sit by, then the disagreement among them becomes clear. There is no harm in having any disagreement. However, it becomes a matter of concern when the disagreement goes public. If Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed brands Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar as a supporter of BNP, then what about the other Election Commissioners? Are they supporters of Awami League?
Based on an interview by Ashiq Rahman, translated by Hossen Sohel