District Collector Chaudhari Abhijit Vijay and Deputy Chief Electoral Officer B. Thillaivel checking EVMs and VVPAT machines to be used in the Lok Sabha elections, in Puducherry on Monday. | Photo Credit: S_S_KUMAR more-in The District Electoral Office has started first- level checking of the electronic voting machines (EVMs), ballot units, and voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines in the presence of representatives of major political parties. In the next 10 days, the officials will check 990 EVMs, 2,020 ballot units and 990 VVPAT machines. The Election Commission had directed the District Electoral Offices to carry out first level checking of voting machines as part of its preparations for the Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2019. On Monday, around 150 EVMs were checked. They were connected with the ballot units and checked whether the 14 buttons functioned normally, said Deputy Chief Electoral Officer-cum-nodal officer for EVMs and VVPAT B. Thillaivel said. Representatives of all recognised political parties were present when the checking was done under the direct supervision of District Collector Chaudhari Abhijit Vijay. Deputy Collector, (South) and Supervisor for first level checking N. Udayakumar was present.

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