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India's Election Commission Randomizes Voting Machines for 2026 Elections
India's Election Commission completed the first random selection of electronic voting machines for the 2026 assembly elections. The randomisation of EVMs and VVPATs occurred in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) declared the completion of the first randomisation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) on Saturday. The machines will be used for the upcoming 2026 assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry. According to the ECI, District Election Officers (DEOs) conducted the first randomisation through the EVM Management System (EMS). Representatives from national and state-recognized political parties were present. Constituency-wise lists of the randomised EVMs and VVPATs were shared with party representatives at their district headquarters.
Key Facts
- The ECI completed the first randomisation of EVMs and VVPATs for the 2026 assembly elections.
- The 2026 assembly elections will be held in Assam, Kerala, and Puducherry.
- District Election Officers used the EVM Management System to conduct the randomisation.
- EVMs were randomly allocated from district warehouses to specific Assembly Constituencies during the primary stage.
- The second stage involved random allocation of machines from the constituency level to individual polling stations.
- The constituency-wise lists of randomised EVMs and VVPATs were shared with party representatives.
- The randomisation applies to units that have cleared the First Level Checking process.
Primary Source
Research Sources
- Asianet News Network Pvt Ltd — ECI completes first randomisation of EVMs for 2026 assembly polls