Mumbai, Jan 12: During the vote-counting process for the upcoming 2026 Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, the civic body will, for the first time, deploy Printing Auxiliary Display Unit (PADU) machines to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted counting process.
The PADU machines will function as backup systems and will be activated in the event of any technical malfunction in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) control units, thereby ensuring accuracy and continuity in the counting process, Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said on Monday.
Polling and counting schedule
Voting for the BMC elections will be held on January 15, with counting scheduled for January 16. The elections will be conducted using M3A voting machines manufactured by M/s Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru. During the counting of votes, it is mandatory to connect the ballot unit to the control unit.
How PADU machines will function
Speaking at a press conference at the BMC headquarters, Gagrani said, тАЬThese PADU units are acting as a backup. In case of any emergency or technical error in connecting the voting units to the control unit, PADU will be used. A total of 140 such units have been sent, and Regional Officers will manage them. This is the first time PADU machines will be used in the elections, though they are expected to be rarely needed. These units act as a safeguard against technical glitches and can print election results directly from the EVM control unit.тАЭ
EVM storage and security
The BMC has received 25,000 ballot units and 20,000 control units from the State Election Commission (SEC) for the conduct of the general elections. These units have been securely stored in civic warehouses at Vikhroli and Kandivali under tight police supervision.
Also Watch:
Of these, 10,800 control units and 13,500 ballot units are stored at the BMC EVM warehouse on the ground floor of the BMC school complex in Vikhroli (West), while 9,200 control units and 11,500 ballot units are kept at the civic EVM warehouse on the ground floor of the civic building in Kandivali (East).
To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/
