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EC Begins EVM-VVPAT Setup for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal Phase-1 Polls

The Election Commission of India has started commissioning EVMs and VVPATs for the upcoming polls in Tamil Nadu and the first phase in West Bengal on April 23. The process is being conducted in the presence of candidates or their representatives and General Observers to ensure transparency. A mock poll of 1,000 votes will follow in a randomly selected 5% of the machines, which candidates can also conduct themselves. The machines were allocated through a rigorous two-stage randomisation process and their lists have been shared with all political parties and candidates.

Key Points: EVM-VVPAT Commissioning for Tamil Nadu, West Bengal Polls

  • EVM-VVPAT commissioning begins
  • Process includes candidate oversight
  • Two-stage randomisation of machines
  • Mock polls to be conducted
2 min read

EC begins EVM-VVPAT commissioning for Tamil Nadu and West Bengal phase-1 polls on April 23

Election Commission starts EVM-VVPAT setup for April 23 polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal phase-1, with candidate oversight and mock polls.

"commissioning exercise will be followed by a mock poll of 1,000 votes in 5 per cent of the EVMs - Election Commission"

New Delhi, April 16

The Election Commission of India on Thursday commenced the commissioning of EVMs and VVPATs for constituencies of Tamil Nadu and the first phase in West Bengal on April 23.

The commissioning began in the presence of the candidates or their authorised representatives as well as General Observers, according to the release.

The Commission stated that the commissioning exercise will be followed by a mock poll of 1,000 votes in 5 per cent of the EVMs, which will be randomly selected by candidates or their representatives. Candidates will also be permitted to conduct mock polls themselves.

Before commissioning, EVMs were allocated to polling stations through a two-stage randomisation process using the EVM Management System (EMS). In the first stage, machines were randomly distributed from district-level warehouses to Assembly constituencies. In the second stage, they were further randomised and assigned to individual polling stations, the release stated.

As per official data, a total of 75,064 polling stations in Tamil Nadu and 44,378 polling stations in West Bengal (Phase-1) will go to the polls on April 23.

The first round of randomisation was conducted by District Election Officers in the presence of representatives of recognised national and state political parties. The second round was carried out by Returning Officers in the presence of contesting candidates, their agents and General Observers.

The Commission said constituency-wise lists of the first randomised EVMs and VVPATs were shared with representatives of all recognised political parties at district headquarters. Subsequently, the machines were stored in Assembly-level strong rooms under the supervision of political party representatives.

It added that the lists of both first and second randomised EVMs and VVPATs have been shared with all contesting candidates to ensure transparency in the electoral process.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
While the process seems robust, I hope the EC ensures the same level of diligence in remote polling stations in West Bengal. Past elections have had issues. The proof will be in the peaceful voting on the 23rd.
K
Karthik V
As a citizen of Tamil Nadu, I appreciate the detailed process. 75,000+ polling stations is a massive logistical task. Kudos to the EC for managing this. Hope the voting day is smooth and the voter turnout is high!
A
Aman W
The VVPAT is a crucial step for voter verification. But the mock poll of only 5% of machines? Should be higher to eliminate all doubts. Still, better than before. Jai Hind!
P
Priya S
Transparency is key. Sharing the randomised lists with all candidates and storing machines under party supervision are excellent practices. This should be the standard for all elections across India.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, while the process looks good on paper, the real test is execution. We've seen allegations in every election. The EC must ensure no political party can later cry foul about EVM tampering. The integrity of the process is everything.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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