The first phase of testing of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trails (VVPATs) in Darrang district began today. The Election Commission of India has asked all districts to start the process well ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections, and Darrang has now started this work for its three Assembly constituencies.
A team of 12 engineers, approved by the Election Commission, reached Mangaldai before the start of the testing. They will carry out the entire process from today and continue it till 15 December. The officials said that the purpose of the early testing is to make sure that all machines are in proper working condition and ready for the elections without any last-minute issues.
To spread awareness about how the testing will be done and to maintain complete transparency, the district administration held a meeting on Wednesday at the conference hall of the District Election Officer’s office in Mangaldai. Representatives of different recognised political parties attended the meeting. 
The meeting was chaired by Anurag Phukan, Additional Deputy Commissioner who is in charge of the Election Department in Darrang. During the discussion, Mangaldai Election Officer Nivedita Barthakur explained the roles and responsibilities of political party representatives during the testing period. She also spoke about the steps that will be followed in this first phase and how the entire process will be recorded and monitored.
The district administration also assured all parties that the testing would be done in a fair and open manner, and any party can raise questions or seek clarification during the process.
The Election Department further stated that the first phase of testing is only the beginning, and more rounds will be held as the election year approaches. The administration hopes that the early start will help avoid delays and allow enough time to fix any technical problems if they are found.
