Erode (East) bypoll 2025 | Insertion of names, party symbols, fixing of ballot sheets on EVMs begin

Ballot units for Erode (East) Assembly byelection being prepared with candidate names, photos, symbols, and NOTA option.

The insertion of names, photos and symbols of candidates onto the ballot units for the byelection to the Erode (East) Assembly constituency, scheduled for February 5, began at the Corporation Central Office here on Wednesday.

The process began in the presence of Returning Officer and Corporation Commissioner H.S. Srikanth and is expected to be completed by Thursday. A total of 46 candidates are in the fray. The None of The Above (NOTA) symbol is printed as the 47th option on the ballot paper and appears on the third ballot unit.

Each ballot paper has the provision for 16 candidates and three ballot units will be used at each polling station. A total of 852 ballot units (including a 20% reserve), 285 control units (20% reserve) and 308 voter verifiable paper audit trails (30% reserve) will be used in 237 polling stations.

A total of 20 zonal teams, each comprising five staff members, were involved in the process. All machines kept in the strong room were taken out in the presence of candidates agents. Batteries were checked, ballot papers were fixed onto the ballot units and the units were sealed.

Similarly, in the voter verifiable paper audit trails (VVPATs), a new paper roll was placed in the compartment, and the serial number, name and symbol of the candidates were loaded before the compartment was sealed. At the end of the process, all the machines will be returned to the strong room and sealed.