Chandigarh, May 22 -- The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday told the Punjab and Haryana high court that requisite electronic voting machines (EVMs) for May 26 municipal elections in Punjab have been dispatched from Rajasthan and could reach Chandigarh/Mohali by Thursday night. The Punjab state election commission (SEC), on its part, informed the court that printing of ballot papers has started and it has already spent Rs.50 lakh. Due to the short window, EVMs can't be used for polls as it would require training of those put on poll duty, the SEC counsel told the court. These submissions have been made during resumed hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Ruchita Garg, an advocate and Mohali resident, challenging the SEC decision to hold the elections by ballot paper instead of EVMs for municipal corporations, municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Punjab. Initially, the SEC had blamed the ECI for choosing ballots over EVMs, an argument strongly controverted by the latter. The ECI told the court that the requisition for EVMs has to be made six months prior to the election as per the general guidelines issued by the ECI to all the states. However, in this case, demand came in January. In view of extraordinary circumstances, the ECI can provide the requisite number of EVMs from the neighbouring Rajasthan, which would reach within 2-3 days, provided the SEC provides the requisite officers, the court was told, adding that the EVMs have been dispatched from Jaipur and are en route to be handed over to the Punjab SEC at Mohali or at Chandigarh tonight. The ECI countered the apprehension of the SEC that the eleventh hour commissioning is not possible. Since the poll panel deputes state employees in all the elections, they would require a training of 15 minutes only, the ECI counsel said. The SEC submitted that preparations have been done for the May 26 polls and EVMs can't be used at this stage without any training. The court was informed that the printing of ballot papers had started and Rs.50 lakh has been spent. The bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry has reserved the order for final judgment....