As part of the first-level check of the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in the Tirupparankundram by-election, a mock poll with participation of representatives of recognised political parties was conducted at the Collectorate here on Monday in the presence of Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao.
As per the norms of the Election Commission of India, a few ballot and control units of the EVMs were randomly selected by representatives of political parties.
The votes later cast in the ballot units by the representatives were tallied and cross-checked to ensure that the machines were working properly.
The units were also subjected to volume testing by casting 1,000 votes in each of the randomly selected EVMs.
Engineers from Bharat Electronics Limited were also present during the exercise.
Speaking to the media after monitoring the exercise, Mr. Rao said that 1,500 ballot units and 375 control units had been kept ready for use during the by-election on November 19.
He said that, as per norms, a section of these machines would be kept in reserve for use in case of machine failure in any of the booths.
The constituency would have 291 polling booths, of which 159 are located in urban areas and 132 in rural areas.
