Sangrur, November 10:- 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 begin in all districts of Punjab from November 12, 2026.
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer, Anindita Mitra, IAS, stated that the First-Level Checking of EVMs and VVPATs is a mandatory process 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 by authorised engineers of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) under the supervision of the District Election Officer.
The CEO said that EVMs and VVPAT machines found satisfactory during the First-Level Checking would be used in the Assembly elections. The detailed procedure for the checking will be carried out in accordance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India.
The process will be conducted in accordance with the existing 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.
Anindita Mitra said that the FLC process would be conducted under the supervision of the respective District Election Officers and monitored by the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, as well as at the level of the Election Commission of India.
The Chief Electoral Officer further stated that the entire FLC process at all 23 locations would be live-webcast to ensure complete transparency and accountability throughout the exercise. Two display screens have been installed at each district headquarters—one at the FLC site and the other in the respective 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 monitor the entire process live. In addition, the Election Commission of India has appointed observers to oversee these operations.
Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra has appealed to 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 further said that the presence of political party representatives during the FLC process would strengthen transparency, build confidence among stakeholders and help ensure that the entire exercise is conducted fairly and transparently in accordance with the instructions of the Election Commission of India.
