First randomisation of EVMs, VVPAT units for Madurantakam, Dharapuram bypass polls on 12th September

The Election Commission of India (EC) has scheduled the first randomisation of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPAT (Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail) units to be used in the Madurantakam and Dharapuram elections on Saturday (September 12, 2026).

By-elections for the two parts of the Assembly will be held on October 6. According to an official release, the first randomization of EVMs and VVPAT units will be done through the EVM Management System (EMS) by the concerned District Election Officer in the presence of representatives of recognized national and state parties.

After the completion of the first random selection, the lists of EVMs and VVPATs allotted in the constituencies will be shared with all recognized national and state parties and these facilities will be provided to the concerned returning officers/assistant returning officers for use in elections, the release said.

These EVMs and VVPATs will be kept in the appropriate safe deposit box of the Assembly in the presence of representatives of all recognized national and state contracting parties. Once the list of competing candidates is finalized, the list of these devices will also be shared with all the competing candidates, the release added.

Published – 11 Sep 2026 23:36 IST