Uttarakhand Assembly Elections 2027: EVM and VVPAT First-Level Checking to Begin in Dehradun on October 23
Inspection to be conducted daily from 9 AM to 7 PM at the ECIL residential premises in Raipur; political parties urged to nominate authorised representatives
Dehradun, October 22, 2026: Preparations for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly General Elections are progressing, with the First Level Checking (FLC) of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines scheduled to begin in Dehradun district on October 23, 2026.
District Magistrate and District Election Officer Dr Ashish Chauhan said the checking process would be carried out by authorised engineers of Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Inspection Arrangements Completed at ECIL Premises
Dr Chauhan said the necessary arrangements for the FLC of EVMs and VVPAT machines had been completed at ECIL’s residential premises on Tapovan Road in the Raipur Block of Dehradun.
According to the scheduled programme, the inspection will take place daily from 9 AM to 7 PM, starting October 23. The process will continue as per the prescribed schedule, including Sundays and other public holidays.
Only Certified Machines to Be Used in Elections
The District Election Officer clarified that only EVMs and VVPAT machines certified after First Level Checking are used in general elections and by-elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
He said the FLC process is intended to verify the machines’ operational readiness and ensure compliance with the prescribed technical standards.
The detailed procedure is laid down in Chapter 2 of the Election Commission of India’s Manual on Electronic Voting Machines, Version 9 (August 2026). Further information is available on the Commission’s official website: https://www.eci.gov.in/evm-vvpat.
Monitoring at Multiple Levels
Dr Chauhan said the FLC process would be monitored by the District Election Officer, the Chief Electoral Officer and the Election Commission of India. The multi-level monitoring mechanism is intended to ensure that the checking process is conducted transparently and in accordance with the prescribed guidelines.
Political Parties Asked to Nominate Authorised Representatives
To facilitate the participation of political parties in the FLC process, letters have been sent to the district presidents, general secretaries and secretaries of recognised national and state-level political parties, requesting them to nominate authorised representatives.
A letter in this regard was issued on October 16, 2026. Political party representatives were also urged to cooperate during a meeting held on October 19.
The District Election Officer appealed to all recognised political parties to nominate their representatives in accordance with the prescribed schedule and ensure their participation in the inspection process.
He emphasised that cooperation from political parties would help ensure that preparations for the 2027 Uttarakhand Assembly General Elections are conducted in a transparent, orderly manner and in accordance with the Election Commission of India’s guidelines.
