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Mumbai Suburban District Collector has issued a notification regarding the inspection and verification (Diagnostic Check only) of a set of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and VVPATs used in the 168-Chandivali Assembly Constituency during the Maharashtra General Assembly Election 2024. The process, specifically a diagnostic check, is set to commence on April 16 in Borivali East.
The verification follows an application submitted by Congress candidate Naseem Khan in the Bombay High Court. While Khan had initially requested the inspection and paid the prescribed fees in November 2024, the process required clearance from the High Court, delaying the inspection. In February 2026, the High Court granted permission to proceed with the diagnostic check for 20 voting machines selected from the constituency. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru, informed on April 3 that a two-day schedule has been fixed to conduct verification starting at 9:30 AM on April 16. According to the official notification issued by Sub-District Election Officer Archana Kadam, Naseem Khan, one of his representatives and other election candidates are requested to be present for the inspection and verification of the burnt memory/Microcontroller of EVM VVPAT machines. This procedure aligns with the Supreme Court directions, allowing candidates to request a 5 per cent check of the machines used in their respective constituencies. Addressing the claims that this is the first EVM inspection being done in Maharashtra, the state Chief Electoral Office clarified that such reports are incorrect. Under the Election Commission's 2024 and 2025 guidelines, verification processes were already carried out for 17 candidates across various constituencies between February and August 2025. The Chandivali case was simply deferred until now to comply with the specific legal protocols mandated by the High Court. "The reports claiming that such an EVM inspection is happening for the first time in Maharashtra are incorrect," the CEO said in an X post. (ANI)
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