Civic polls: EVMs inspected, tested

Surat: As part of preparations for the upcoming municipal corporation elections, officials on Friday carried out inspection and sealing of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) warehouse.The testing was conducted in the presence of officials from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the district collector's office, the Industrial Training Institute (ITI), and SMC.
During the exercise, a total of 4,373 control units and 8,746 ballot units were taken out for verification. Officials switched on the machines using batteries, paired the units, and carried out trial runs to ensure they were functioning properly. After confirming their operational status, the machines were sealed. Each verified set was then placed inside a metal trunk, which was sealed again."Once the election process begins, random testing will be conducted again by election officials. After verification, the machines will be handed over to the election authorities for polling," an SMC official said.The inspection process involved 15 BEL officials, 10 ITI instructors, and around 60 SMC officers and staff, taking the total number of personnel involved to 115. The strong room where the machines are stored was also sealed.Officials said that with each control unit, two ballot units are kept ready to accommodate a larger number of candidates, if required.Sources said the municipal corporation elections in the state are expected to be held soon after the ongoing SIR process is completed, which may take at least two months.