Political parties invited to witness pre-election checks; live webcasting and multi-level monitoring planned to ensure transparency and accountability
With Punjab beginning its preparations for the 2027 Vidhan Sabha elections, the Election Department will launch the First Level Checking (FLC) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units across the state from November 12, 2026. The exercise will cover all 23 districts and is aimed at ensuring that only technically sound and election-ready machines are considered for deployment during the forthcoming Assembly polls.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab, has called upon recognised political parties to nominate and authorise their representatives to remain present during the verification exercise. Their participation, officials said, will allow political stakeholders to observe the prescribed procedures and strengthen confidence in the preparedness of the electoral machinery ahead of the elections.
According to a spokesperson of the CEO’s office, First Level Checking is a mandatory technical exercise prescribed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). It is conducted before every General Election and Bye-Election to assess the functioning and condition of EVMs and VVPAT machines.
The checking will take place under the supervision of the respective District Election Officers (DEOs), with authorised engineers from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) carrying out the technical verification. Only machines that successfully clear the FLC will be eligible for consideration for use in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
The spokesperson said the entire process would follow the Election Commission’s prescribed protocols and technical guidelines. District-level officers will supervise the exercise, while the CEO Punjab’s office and the ECI will maintain oversight to ensure that the process is conducted in a systematic and uniform manner across the state.
Live webcast planned at all 23 district centres
In a significant transparency measure, the complete First Level Checking exercise will be webcast live from all 23 district locations. The arrangement is intended to make the proceedings observable beyond the immediate checking premises and facilitate closer scrutiny by authorised stakeholders.
Two display screens have been installed at every district headquarters for this purpose. One screen will be placed at the FLC venue, while the second will be available at the office of the respective Deputy Commissioner. These facilities will enable representatives of political parties to follow the checking process and observe the proceedings.
The CEO Punjab’s office has also established dedicated display screens at its headquarters to monitor the exercise across districts in real time. In addition, the Election Commission of India has appointed observers to oversee the process and ensure adherence to the prescribed procedures.
Political parties asked to nominate authorised representatives
The CEO’s office has urged all recognised political parties to formally authorise representatives to witness the checking of EVMs and VVPATs. Their presence is expected to provide an opportunity to observe the technical process, raise procedural concerns through the designated channels and remain informed about the status of machines being prepared for the elections.
Officials maintain that the combination of technical verification, district-level supervision, live webcasting and ECI monitoring will reinforce transparency and accountability in the pre-election process.
The exercise marks an important administrative step in Punjab’s preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections. While the actual polling process remains several months away, the verification of voting equipment is a crucial part of ensuring that the machinery used on polling day meets the Election Commission’s technical and operational standards.
For Punjab’s electoral administration, the immediate focus will be on completing the exercise across all districts in accordance with the prescribed schedule, while ensuring that political parties and other authorised stakeholders have an opportunity to witness the process.
