Election Commission Completes First Randomisation of EVM-VVPATs for Key Assembly Polls
The Election Commission of India has completed the first stage of randomisation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) units for the forthcoming assembly elections in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry. The process, carried out in the presence of recognised political parties, is intended to strengthen transparency and integrity in election management ahead of polling scheduled for 9 April 2026.
The announcement follows the declaration of the election schedule on 15 March 2026 for assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, along with by-elections in six states. According to an official Election Commission release, the first randomisation has also been completed for by-elections in Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura.
Two-stage randomisation process
EVM allocation is conducted through a two-stage randomisation process using the Election Management System. In the first stage, machines are randomly allocated from district-level warehouses to assembly constituencies. The second stage involves a further random allocation from the constituency level to individual polling stations.
Under Election Commission directions, district election officers are required to complete this initial randomisation only after machines have passed the mandatory first-level checks. This ensures that only EVMs and VVPATs meeting prescribed technical standards are deployed in the electoral process.
Oversight and information sharing with political parties
The first randomisation exercise was conducted by district election officers in the presence of representatives from national and state-recognised political parties. Following the process, constituency-wise lists of randomly selected EVMs and VVPATs were shared with party representatives at the respective district headquarters.
The machines identified through this process will be stored in secure strong rooms assigned to each legislative assembly, again in the presence of political party representatives. After the finalisation of the list of contesting candidates, details of both the first and second randomly selected EVMs and VVPATs will be shared with all candidates.
Digital systems and electoral governance
The use of centralised digital systems such as the Election Management System reflects a broader shift towards technology-enabled public administration in India. Similar approaches to digital governance and responsible technology adoption are also evident in initiatives supporting citizen-centric services and institutional capacity building, including work on responsible use of advanced technologies and capacity building for government officials.
While the Election Commission’s processes are distinct from artificial intelligence deployments, the emphasis on transparency, auditability and trust aligns with wider public-sector efforts to strengthen digital systems, such as national programmes aimed at inclusive and accountable technology use across government.
