Spore To Buy Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) From Indian State-owned Company

[SNAblog]

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/002200904121051.htm

Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa approach BEL for EVMs

New Delhi (PTI): Indian electronic voting machines (EVMs), are all set to go places with six countries, including Mauritius, Singapore and Sri Lanka, approaching Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL), one of the manufacturers, with a demand for them to be used for elections in those countries.

After Nepal and Bhutan, six more countries have shown their interest in procuring EVMs for use during elections, Naveen Namboodiri, Deputy Manager (Corporate Communications) of BEL, told PTI, adding, officials of Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore, Namibia, South Africa and Sri Lanka have approached the PSU, for the purpose.

"We have customised the EVMs to meet the electoral requirements of these countries. We have given demonstrations in these countries and further negotiations are on to address their concerns since the EVMs will change electoral process," he said.

The EVMs, which can withstand rough handling and variable climatic conditions, were used for smooth conduct of the polls in Nepal and Bhutan recently and elections conducted in the Kathmandu-1 constituency using these machines were part of a pilot project.

In April last year, India supplied 200 EVMs and 600 additional units to Nepal for use in the Constituent Assembly elections. Last month, India also handed over EVMs worth USD 1,50,000 to the Election Commission of Nepal.

The Electronic Corporation of India Ltd, which also produces such equipment, had supplied the EVMs to Bhutan during its last general elections.

The EVMs are becoming popular because it eliminates the possibility of invalid and doubtful votes and makes the process of counting much faster. An EVM can record a maximum of 3,840 votes.

Meanwhile, the BEL has supplied 1,02,000 EVMs worth Rs 100 crore to the Election Commission for the coming general elections.

With this, the availability of EVMs with the Election Commission has gone up to 13,68,430 which will be used during the five-phased elections starting on April 16.

The EVMs were used in the entire country for the first time in the 2004 general elections in which 10.75 lakh machines were used out of which about five lakh were manufactured by BEL, the official said.

The main advantage of the EVM is that it is a standalone machine which does not have to be connected to any network.

All procedures during the polling process, from the pressing of a button to the counting of votes, can be recorded in the EVM and stored up to five years.

EVMs are highly cost effective as it reduces the huge costs of transportation, security of ballot boxes, printing thousands of tonnes of ballot paper and hiring counting staff.

Besides being tamper-proof, the EVMs are also easy to operate and deliver instantaneous results.

------------------

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) is an electronics company with about nine factories, and few regional offices in India. It is owned by the Indian Government & primarily manufactures advanced electronic products for the Indian Armed Forces. BEL is one of the eight PSUs under Ministry of Defence, Government Of India. It has even earned the government's Navratna status.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bharat_Electronics_Limited



.

 

[snrcitizen]

EVMs are highly cost effective as it reduces the huge costs of transportation, security of ballot boxes, printing thousands of tonnes of ballot paper and hiring counting staff.

Besides being tamper-proof, the EVMs are also easy to operate and deliver instantaneous results.

This is the PAP's new toy to ensure continuity of their reign. Voters select opposition but these boxes will return PAP. This is the same tactic Bush Jr used when Al Gore was running against him. So beware as there is no paper trail to audit.

 

[rainnix]

Unless the election department is not under PMO, else we all have the right not to use these electronic devices. All votings results will point to PAP and we all will really be screwed.

 

[makapaaa]

Allo! What's wrong with the Exceptional Family being returned to power? I hold 2nd key dey! chey*​

 

[Watchman]

Singapore is learning from India on how to rig Election votes !

 

[lodoftherings]

This art is mastered by Bush and only bush.

Singapore is learning from India on how to rig Election votes !

 

[singveld]

such system easily rig, since ah neh good in corruption.

 

[tonychat]

Unless the election department is not under PMO, else we all have the right not to use these electronic devices. All votings results will point to PAP and we all will really be screwed.

All the while sinkies are screwed, with or without devices. What's new?

 

[SIFU]

All the while sinkies are screwed, with or without devices. What's new?

CB Kia tonychat,

ho seh liao.. thailand in turmoil..

again..

 

[miosux]

This is the PAP's new toy to ensure continuity of their reign. Voters select opposition but these boxes will return PAP. This is the same tactic Bush Jr used when Al Gore was running against him. So beware as there is no paper trail to audit.

then it becomes even more crucial for the opposition to do exit polls at the polling stations.

 

[takcheksian]

then it becomes even more crucial for the opposition to do exit polls at the polling stations.

Agree wif u. But I doubt PAP will allow it. They don't even allow monitors from other countries, why will they allow pollsters?

I think they will all have TLH-Cheng San style functions, much like the blank ballots in Cheng San.

This is NOT good for Sporns. But I bet the 66.6% can be tricked into thinking that electronic voting is even more reliable, even more world class, and even more deserving of raising ministerial pay. :(:(:(

 

[kakowi]

...
After Nepal and Bhutan, six more countries have shown their interest in procuring EVMs for use during elections, Naveen Namboodiri, Deputy Manager (Corporate Communications) of BEL, told PTI, adding, officials of Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore, Namibia, South Africa and Sri Lanka have approached the PSU, for the purpose.

Singapore is quite flexible. For salaries, compare with one set of countries. For standard of living compare with another set. For cost of living, yet a third set. For electronic voting machines, join yet a fourth set, a set that does not include any technologically advanced country.

Moreover from India. Their ranking in the transparency index need to be looked at. And a valid question need to be asked if electronic voting systems had made India more transparent.

And why countries with established and proven democracies are not in the list?



The advent of electronic voting machines carries its own dangers. The technology has been around for quite a while. The difficulty lies in its audit.

As Singapore is a one-party state, and there is no independent commission reporting to a supra-national body to audit the machines and the electoral process, the only thing that makes the electoral process incorruptable is the processes put in place by Singapore.

Whilst Singapore ranks very high as a clean nation, safeguards are always good. Learn from history: religious leaders in a one-party organization have perfected the art of whitewashing, the recent self-reward by an american MNC, one charity leader and his politically strong supporter, another charity leader on his salary, yet another charity leader again on his salary. Money and dominant power goes hand in hand.

Robin Williams in "Man of the Year" is a tongue in cheek look at electronic voting machines and how it can give erroneous results.





But electronic voting will sound the death-knell for the opposition and ensure more golden years for the PAP.

Why?

The pathological fear that their vote will be found out.

Electronic voting needs to be audited and that means a control number tied to the name, address, nric of the voter at the very least. From the NRIC, the income tax, occupation and all other records in the formidable government arsenal will be readily traced, subject to whatever safeguards and exceptions to these safeguards imposed by the government authorities.

There is also the question of audit.

A click does not leave a paper trail.

A declared audit will reveal all. Unlike a paper trail, those who voted will have to be recalled to verify their votes. "Who did you vote for?" "For PAP" "Strange, your record says otherwise" "Aiyah, electronic error lah" "You are certain?" "Yah" "Change it?" "Yah" "Sign here" - result PAP 100% - unanimous endorsement. Celebrate by increasing salaries and gst.


The task of the opposition, already made difficult by themselves for themselves, will be that much more uphill.


To conclude, the words of Robin Williams, made President by error in Electronic Voting in "Man of the Year":

"Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed regularly and for the same reason"
​

 

[Conan the Barbarian]

What a great counter to K Jeyaratnam's entry into politics.
I hope it does not come in time for this coming elections.

 

[johnny333]

This is the PAP's new toy to ensure continuity of their reign. ....

Gov't must know that Sporeans are getting restless & are looking for change. With the falling electoral population & increasing walkovers, the only reason I can see for these devices is to fix Sporeans & not to save on labour.

This is suspiciously like the strategy of lowering the prices of COE but putting up more ERP gantries. With the end result of increasing $$$$.

 

[angry_one]

This is bad. Very bad. All APs might as well pack up and go home. There is NO WAY they can win anything even if 90% of sinkees vote for them. How ridiculous my country has become. One political party dictating the rules of elections. The only way to take sg back is the Thailand way now.

I dont think the brutal truth has sunk in to you all yet..... but you'll feel it's impact when the PAP wins 100% of all parliament seats.

 

[mscitw]

Interesting, a procedural democracy buying vote counting machines???

In peasantpore, elections are procedural, the ruling party aka regime are always returned to power after a staged wayang show. This expense is unnecessary. The regime ought to hire more neh nehs to show them how Limping Mas can slip out of Peasantpore.

 

[banova888]

Singapore is quite flexible. For salaries, compare with one set of countries. For standard of living compare with another set. For cost of living, yet a third set. For electronic voting machines, join yet a fourth set, a set that does not include any technologically advanced country.

Moreover from India. Their ranking in the transparency index need to be looked at. And a valid question need to be asked if electronic voting systems had made India more transparent.

Good reasoning.

And why countries with established and proven democracies are not in the list?

The advent of electronic voting machines carries its own dangers. The technology has been around for quite a while. The difficulty lies in its audit.

As Singapore is a one-party state, and there is no independent commission reporting to a supra-national body to audit the machines and the electoral process, the only thing that makes the electoral process incorruptable is the processes put in place by Singapore.

Whilst Singapore ranks very high as a clean nation, safeguards are always good. Learn from history: religious leaders in a one-party organization have perfected the art of whitewashing, the recent self-reward by an american MNC, one charity leader and his politically strong supporter, another charity leader on his salary, yet another charity leader again on his salary. Money and dominant power goes hand in hand.

Robin Williams in "Man of the Year" is a tongue in cheek look at electronic voting machines and how it can give erroneous results.

Robin Williams is cool. Can we worship him?

But electronic voting will sound the death-knell for the opposition and ensure more golden years for the PAP.

Why?

The pathological fear that their vote will be found out.

This pathological fear is the answer to PAP's victory every year. Now they are using technology from India to secure it?

Electronic voting needs to be audited and that means a control number tied to the name, address, nric of the voter at the very least. From the NRIC, the income tax, occupation and all other records in the formidable government arsenal will be readily traced, subject to whatever safeguards and exceptions to these safeguards imposed by the government authorities.

There is also the question of audit.

A click does not leave a paper trail.

A declared audit will reveal all. Unlike a paper trail, those who voted will have to be recalled to verify their votes. "Who did you vote for?" "For PAP" "Strange, your record says otherwise" "Aiyah, electronic error lah" "You are certain?" "Yah" "Change it?" "Yah" "Sign here" - result PAP 100% - unanimous endorsement. Celebrate by increasing salaries and gst.


The task of the opposition, already made difficult by themselves for themselves, will be that much more uphill.


To conclude, the words of Robin Williams, made President by error in Electronic Voting in "Man of the Year":

"Politicians are like diapers. They should be changed regularly and for the same reason"
​

Not sure how much Robin William earns and whether he is a Singaporean, but based on your conclusion, the first audit must be done on all Politicians in Singapore.

 

[banova888]

Singapore ministers are the highest paid in the world. Now they are getting technology from India where the ministers are the lowest paid. How this can affect the world! is left in the hands of Singaporeans to decide.

 

[banova888]

CB Kia tonychat,

ho seh liao.. thailand in turmoil..

again..

Screw yourself small boy.
You are too young to be in this forum.

 

[miosux]

Agree wif u. But I doubt PAP will allow it. They don't even allow monitors from other countries, why will they allow pollsters?

I think they will all have TLH-Cheng San style functions, much like the blank ballots in Cheng San.

This is NOT good for Sporns. But I bet the 66.6% can be tricked into thinking that electronic voting is even more reliable, even more world class, and even more deserving of raising ministerial pay. :(:(:(

no need pap permission, just stand outside the polling station and ask voters on their way out lah! =)