The District Election Office, Udhampur, successfully conducted the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) Checking and Verification (C&V) Exercise for Assembly Constituency 61 - Chenani, in strict adherence to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) laid down by the Election Commission of India.
The exercise was held today at Government Degree College (Boys), Udhampur from 10:00 AM to 07:00 PM, under proper security arrangements and in the presence of designated election officials, engineers from the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) and eligible candidates.
The C&V process was undertaken for three polling stations – Mada-A, Mada-B, and Kud-A – following a request by applicant Harsh Dev from National Panthers Party, who had raised concerns regarding alleged tampering. The entire exercise was conducted transparently, systematically and within the prescribed time frame, ensuring complete satisfaction of the applicant. Copies of the outcome were also provided to the applicant as per SOP.
During the exercise, three Control Units (CUs) from one polling station showed a minor clock error during diagnostic checks. Officials clarified that this was purely a technical issue and had no bearing on the polled data. Pertinently, the polled data from these machines which showed clock errors was demonstrated to the applicant, confirming that it remained completely intact and exactly as recorded on the actual poll day i.e., 01 October 2024. In line with the SOP, the applicant was given the option of random selection of EVMs from other polling stations within the same Assembly Constituency. The process continued with diagnostic checks, mock polls and verification of polled data with VVPAT slips, which fully matched and satisfied the candidate.
The District Election Office Udhampur emphasized that the entire procedure was video-recorded, carried out under tight security and followed the laid-down protocols of the Election Commission of India. The public is urged not to believe in rumours or misinformation regarding EVM tampering, as due process has been duly followed to the complete satisfaction of all concerned.