The primary-level checking (FLC) of digital voting machines (EVMs) forward of the Bihar meeting polls has discovered that 12.26% of poll models, 4.96% of management models, and 4.67% of VVPATs had been declared “FLC Rejected” following technical scrutiny throughout the state.
Based on the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) workplace, a complete of 1,76,506 poll models had been checked, with 21,634 models failing to clear the inspection. Equally, 6,389 out of 1,28,726 management models and 6,369 out of 1,36,317 VVPATs didn’t clear the check. On the identical time, officers stated, a big majority of the machines, “1,54,872 BU, 1,22,337 CU, and 1,29,948 VVPATs had been discovered ‘FLC OK’” and cleared to be used within the upcoming polls.
“A complete of 189 engineers from ECIL had been deputed to hold out the checks throughout the state. The rejected machines are being despatched to ECIL in Hyderabad for repairs, whereas the standing of all models, whether or not cleared or rejected, was up to date every day on the EMS 2.0 portal,” officers stated.
The FLC course of, described by the Election Fee as “a preliminary and essential technical inspection course of,” was performed from Might 2 to June 25 beneath the supervision of district election officers and ECIL engineers, with representatives from all main political events invited to watch. The FLC course of was monitored by way of dwell webcasting in all districts, permitting real-time oversight by the Election Fee and the CEO’s workplace.
“After completion of FLC, the listing of permitted EVMs was supplied to all recognised nationwide and state events on the district stage,” officers stated, stressing on transparency within the course of.
The electoral officers famous that each one 12 recognised nationwide and state-level political events had been knowledgeable in regards to the FLC programme a minimum of six instances and urged to ship their representatives. “Over 200 letters had been despatched to events that weren’t attending, urging them to take part,” sources stated.
The election physique talked about that the state-level assembly chaired by CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal on Might 13 reviewed occasion participation and the progress of the FLC. “Most main events, together with the BJP, Congress, RJD, JD(U), LJP (Ram Vilas), CPI(M), CPI(ML), and BSP, actively participated throughout districts, whereas others such because the Aam Aadmi Occasion, RLSP, and RLJP had restricted presence. The Nationwide Folks’s Occasion didn’t take part in any district,” officers stated.
Story continues beneath this advert
Officers famous that occasion participation was “strong in 31 districts”, together with Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur, whereas seven districts – Banka, Darbhanga, Gaya, Gopalganj, Nalanda, Supaul and Kishanganj – noticed comparatively fewer occasion representatives through the FLC.
“All events expressed satisfaction with the standard and preparations of the method,” the electoral officers stated.
They knowledgeable that the Election Fee of India and the CEO’s workplace maintained “intensive and steady monitoring” of the method by way of dwell webcasting and area visits. “28 observers, together with senior officers and EVM nodal officers from different states, had been deployed for on-ground supervision,” EC officers stated, with CEO Vinod Singh Gunjiyal personally inspecting FLC halls in Patna and Katihar.
With the completion of the FLC, officers stated Bihar is now “absolutely ready for the upcoming Meeting elections, reaffirming the dedication to a clear and credible electoral course of.”