J&K: EVM verification exercise for Chenani assembly constituency conducted successfully

The exercise was held on Thursday at Government Degree College (Boys), Udhampur, from 10 am to 7 pm, under proper security arrangements and in the presence of designated election officials, engineers from the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), and eligible candidates

The district election office, Udhampur, successfully conducted the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) checking and verification (C&V) exercise for assembly constituency 61 - Chenani, in strict adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) laid down by the Election Commission of India.

The C&V process was undertaken for three polling stations – Mada-A, Mada-B, and Kud-A – following a request by applicant Harsh Dev from National Panthers Party, who had raised concerns regarding alleged tampering. (File)

The exercise was held on Thursday at Government Degree College (Boys), Udhampur, from 10 am to 7 pm, under proper security arrangements and in the presence of designated election officials, engineers from the Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), and eligible candidates.

The C&V process was undertaken for three polling stations – Mada-A, Mada-B, and Kud-A – following a request by applicant Harsh Dev from National Panthers Party, who had raised concerns regarding alleged tampering. The entire exercise was conducted transparently, systematically and within the prescribed time frame, ensuring complete satisfaction of the applicant. Copies of the outcome were also provided to the applicant as per SOP.

During the exercise, three Control Units (CUs) from one polling station showed a minor clock error during diagnostic checks. Officials clarified that this was purely a technical issue and had no bearing on the polled data. Pertinently, the polled data from these machines which showed clock errors was demonstrated to the applicant, confirming that it remained completely intact and exactly as recorded on the actual poll day --1 October 2024. In line with the SOP, the applicant was given the option of random selection of EVMs from other polling stations within the same assembly constituency. The process continued with diagnostic checks, mock polls and verification of polled data with VVPAT slips, which fully matched and satisfied the candidate.

The district election office Udhampur, emphasised that the entire procedure was video-recorded, carried out under tight security and followed the laid-down protocols of the Election Commission of India.

Following re-verification of EVMs of three polling stations, the tally of recounted votes again went in favour of the BJP’s sitting MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia.

However, Harsh Dev Singh was dissatisfied with the verification process. He said that the three EVMs produced by the deputy election officer failed in diagnostic test and the fourth was “rejected and defunct”.

“ECI is in cahoots with the BJP. I will go to the court and will not allow them to go scot-free,” he added.

This was possibly the second such exercise of checking and verification of EVMs in the country this year.

Ten candidates who unsuccessfully contested last year’s Maharashtra assembly polls had applied for the checking and verification of EVMs, and the machines were found to be flawless on July 31, 2025.

On September 10, Udhampur DEO Saloni Rai set September 18 and subsequent days for the scheduled verification of EVMs in the Chenani assembly segment.