Guwahati: Assam has completed the first randomisation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units across all 126 Legislative Assembly Constituencies in the state, a mandatory step in the conduct of any general election under Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines.
The exercise was carried out simultaneously across 35 districts, with the process conducted in the offices of the respective District Election Officers (DEOs).
The randomisation was done through the EVM Management System (EMS) — a software-driven process that randomly allocates voting machines to different assembly constituencies, eliminating the possibility of bias or pre-determined assignment.
Representatives of recognised national and state political parties were present during the exercise in each district, a standard requirement aimed at reinforcing transparency and public confidence in the integrity of the process.
The list of first-randomised EVMs and VVPATs will be shared with all contesting candidates.
According to figures available with The Sentinel, Assam currently holds the following election machinery:
EVM Control Units: 48,225
EVM Ballot Units: 42,297
VVPATs: 45,647
Following the randomisation, the allocated machines will be stored in the strong rooms of their respective constituencies based on requirements.
The first randomisation is a critical safeguard in the election process. By using a system-driven random allocation rather than manual assignment, it ensures that no individual or party can predict or influence which machines are deployed in which constituency.
The Assam Election Department reaffirmed its commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections in accordance with all ECI procedures and guidelines.