Election Commission Begins 'First Level Checks' Of EVMs Across India Ahead Of 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and five assembly polls by end of this year, the Election Commission has started "first level checks" of EVMs and papertrail machines nationwide in phase manner.

"Mock polls" are part of the first level check (FLC) process, according to sources quoted in an NDTV report.

"It is a pan-India exercise. FLC will take place across the country in a phased manner, including all constituencies of Kerala," a Election Commission official said.

He was responding to a question on a mock poll taking place in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.

The Wayanad Parliamentary seat in Kerala fell vacant following the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after he was convicted in a criminal defamation case by a Surat court.

The EC functionary added that the poll panel "issues a calendar for such exercises and there are standing instructions that are to be followed by state chief electoral officers".

The functionary pointed out that FLCs will also take place in the five poll-bound states of Rajasthan, Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh as well as assembly and parliamentary seats where bypolls are due.

During FLCs, EVMs and papertrail machines are checked for mechanical flaws by engineers of BEL and ECIL, the two PSUs who manufacture the two equipment.

If any machine is found to be faulty, it is returned to the manufacturers for repair or replacement.

A mock poll is also held to check the two machines in the presence of representatives of political parties.