First-Level Checking of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs to be held in Udalguri

A CORRESPONDENT

ORANG: In a decisive move to ensure free, fair, and transparent Assembly Election 2025, the District Administration of Udalguri has completed all preparations for the First Level Checking (FLC) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units. The FLC process will be conducted from December 24 to December 29, 2025, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm daily, including holidays, at the EVM/VVPAT Warehouse located at the Office of the District Election Officer, Udalguri.

In an official press release issued on Monday, Pulak Patgiri, Deputy Commissioner, Udalguri, stated that the programme was being carried out strictly in accordance with directives issued by the Chief Electoral Officer, Assam, as part of the mandatory pre-election procedures laid down by the Election Commission of India.

As per official data, a total of 1,094 EVMs and 1,181 VVPAT units will undergo thorough technical examination during the FLC process. All infrastructural, logistical, and security arrangements at the FLC venue have been completed in line with Election Commission guidelines. The checking exercise will be conducted strictly following prescribed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and approved operational workflows to ensure the highest level of accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the voting machines.

To supervise the entire process, the District Election Officer has designated the Additional District Commissioner as the FLC Supervisor, who will oversee and monitor all activities related to the checking process. The FLC will be carried out by twelve authorized engineers deputed by the Election Commission of India, highlighting the technical rigour and institutional oversight involved.

In accordance with established norms, a mandatory mock poll will be conducted on five percent of the EVMs and VVPATs prior to sealing, to verify flawless functioning. Adequate manpower, including officers, staff, and skilled labour, has been deployed to ensure the smooth and timely execution of the exercise.

Emphasizing transparency, the administration has confirmed that the FLC process will be conducted in the presence of authorized representatives of recognized national and state political parties. In this regard, a detailed briefing meeting with party representatives was held on December 17, 2025, during which the procedures and safeguards of the FLC process were explained in detail.

Upon completion of the checking process, all EVMs and VVPATs certified as 'OK' will be securely stored at the designated EVM/VVPAT Warehouse at the District Commissioner's office. Any machines found defective during the FLC will be dealt with strictly as per the directions of the Election Commission of India.

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