Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, November 9:- In view of the Punjab Legislative Assembly General Elections-2027, the First-Level Checking (FLC) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines will be conducted in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar district on November 12, 2026.
District Election Officer, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, Komal Mittal said that the First-Level Checking of EVMs and VVPATs is a mandatory procedure prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Its objective is to ensure that only fully functional and election-ready machines are used during the elections.
She said that, as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, the First-Level Checking of EVMs and VVPATs to be used in general elections and by-elections is conducted under the supervision of the District Election Officer by authorised engineers of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
She added that the EVM and VVPAT machines found technically sound during the First-Level Checking would be used in the Assembly elections. The detailed procedure for the checking would be carried out in accordance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India.
The process will be conducted in accordance with the prevailing instructions of the Election Commission of India. All necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that the First-Level Checking is carried out smoothly, transparently and systematically.
She informed that the process would be monitored by the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, as well as at the level of the Election Commission of India.
She further said that the entire FLC process would be live webcast to ensure complete transparency and accountability. Two display screens have been installed at each district headquarters—one at the FLC site and the other at the concerned Deputy Commissioner’s office—so that representatives can closely observe the proceedings.
Special screens have also been installed at the Chief Electoral Officer’s headquarters to enable live monitoring of the entire process. In addition, the Election Commission of India has appointed observers to oversee these activities.
She urged all recognised political parties to authorise their representatives to remain present during the First-Level Checking of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines. She added that the presence of political party representatives during the FLC process would further strengthen transparency, build confidence among stakeholders and help ensure that the entire procedure is conducted fairly and transparently in accordance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India.
