EC Will Issue Voter Card Instead Of NID

If the National Identity (NID) Registration Wing goes under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Election Commission will issue voter cards instead, said Election Commissioner Md Alamgir. He said this in response to various questions from journalists at his office in the election building on Thursday (October 20).

Recently, Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam said that there is a new law for NID. If passed, the NID will move from the Election Commission to the Ministry of Home Affairs. NID will be given to the citizen immediately after birth.

EC has been doing this work since 2008 as a by-product of the voter list. That is why former chief election commissioners, EC secretaries, and even common people want it to remain with the EC.

Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said that there will be no loss if NID leaves. NID is one thing, voter is one thing. We work with voter lists. We conduct elections on the basis of electoral rolls.

He said, even if NID is gone, there is no chance to provide a voter server. No one can afford it. It is the property of EC. However, we may share information. If the NID goes home ministry, they can use the information if they want to.

In response to a question, the Election Commissioner said that if the NID goes away, I will name it 'Voter ID'. Voters will get the card from us. We did not make it as an NID card. We made it as a voter card. Our servers will remain with us. We will not transfer this server to anyone.

 Regarding the use of electronic voting machines (EVM) in 150 constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary elections, he said, "If we cannot buy new ones, we will use the existing EVMs in as many constituencies as possible."