EVMs, VVPATs to undergo first-level checks in Punjab from November 12

Punjab will begin First Level Checking (FLC) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines across all districts on November 12 ahead of the 2027 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections, Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra said.

Mitra said the checking process was prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that only fully functional and election-ready machines were deployed during elections.

According to the CEO, the verification will be conducted by authorised engineers of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under the supervision of the respective District Election Officers. The process applies to EVMs and VVPATs intended for use in every general election and bye-election.

Only machines that successfully pass the First Level Checking will be used in the Assembly elections, she said, adding that the procedure would follow the Election Commission’s prescribed instructions.

Mitra said arrangements had been made to ensure that the checking process was conducted smoothly, transparently and systematically. The exercise will remain under the supervision of District Election Officers and be monitored by the Chief Electoral Officer’s office and the Election Commission of India.

To strengthen transparency, live webcasting will be conducted at all 23 checking locations. Two display screens have been installed at each district headquarters, one at the checking site and another at the respective Deputy Commissioner’s office, allowing representatives to observe the proceedings.

Dedicated screens have also been set up at the Chief Electoral Officer’s headquarters to monitor the exercise live. The Election Commission of India has additionally appointed observers to supervise the operations.

Mitra urged all recognised political parties to authorise representatives to witness the checking of EVMs and VVPATs.

She said their participation would strengthen transparency, build confidence among stakeholders, and help ensure that the exercise was conducted fairly and impartially in accordance with Election Commission guidelines.