Earlier that day, Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar had opposed a move to amend the law to allow electronic voting machines or EVMs in the upcoming national election. 

He later walked out of a commission meeting half an hour after it started over the planned amendment to the Representation of the People Order or RPO and later sent a ‘note of dissent’ through an officer.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting with an American Department of Commerce delegation, Tofail said “Although Election Commissioner Mahbub Talukdar’s name was recommended by BNP, the Election Commission is neutral and we should not look into who is aligned with which political party”.

Tofail added that the formation of the current Election Commission was chosen by a search committee, so everybody has been appointed based on their merit.

He also said that the use of EVMs is completely up to the Election Commission’s jurisdiction and nobody else’s.

“EVMs are used everywhere across the world, even in the United States. It was used in the recent Sylhet and Rajshahi City Corporation polls in some of the election constituencies, where BNP had won some and Awami League in the others,” he added, “ever since formation of the Election Commission, BNP and its allies have attempted to make it controversial”.

Asked about possible meetings to hatch conspiracies by some political parties, Tofail said that meetings are a party’s democratic right, but meeting to hatch conspiracies will not be tolerated by the government or the law enforcers.

He believes the upcoming general election will be held successfully.