| TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY EXTRAORDINARY | ||
No.199] CHENNAI, TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026 Panguni 3, Visuvaavasu, Thiruvalluvar Aandu–2057
Part V—Section 4
Notification by the Election Commission of India
NOTIFICATION BY THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
DIRECTION BY THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA
ELECTION COMMISSION'S DIRECTION SPECIFYING THAT THE VOTES AT THE CURRENT GENERAL ELECTIONS TO TAMIL NADU LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, 2026 SHALL BE GIVEN AND RECORDED BY MEANS OF ELECTRONIC VOTING MACHINES AND VVPAT.
No. SRO G-7/2026.
The following Direction of the Election Commission of India, Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi-110 001, dated: 15th March, 2026 is published:-
No. 576/3/EVM/2026/SDR-VOL-IV:-
Whereas, Section 61A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, provides that the giving and recording of votes by voting machines in such manner as may be prescribed, may be adopted in such constituency or constituencies as the Election Commission of India may, having regard to the circumstances of each case, specify; and
2. Whereas, as per the proviso to Rule 49A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, a printer with a drop box of such design, as may be approved by the Election Commission of India, may also be attached to voting machine for printing a paper trail of the vote, in such constituency or constituencies or parts thereof as the Election Commission of India may direct; and
3. Whereas, the Election Commission has considered the circumstances in current general election to the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry and bye elections to 8 Assembly Constituencies in 6 States (as per Annexure-I) announced vide the Election Commission's Press Notes No. ECI/PN/029/2026 and No. ECI/PN/030/2026 both dated 15th March, 2026, and is satisfied that sufficient number of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Printers for printing Paper Trail [Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail(VVPAT)] are available for taking the poll in the above said Assembly Constituencies. The polling personnel are well trained in efficient handling of EVMs and 'VVPAT Printers' and the electors are also fully conversant with the operation of the EVMs and the VVPAT Printers;
2 TAMIL NADU GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY5. The Election Commission also hereby approves the design of EVMs and VVPAT Printers as developed by the Bharat Electronics Ltd., Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd., Hyderabad, which shall be attached to the said machines, to be used for the giving and recording of votes in all the Constituencies.
(By Order)
S.B. Joshi,
Principal Secretary,
Election Commission of India.
Secretariat, Chennai-600 009, 17th March, 2026.
ARCHANA PATNAIK,
Chief Electoral Officer and
Principal Secretary to Government,
Public (Elections) Department.
Annexure - I
| Sl. No. | Name of the State | Number and Name of the AC |
| 1. | Maharashtra | 223-Rahuri AC |
| 2. | 201-Baramati AC | |
| 3. | Goa | 21-Ponda AC |
| 4. | Karnataka | 24-Bagalkot AC |
| 5. | 107-Davanagere South AC | |
| 6. | Nagaland | 28-Koridang(ST) AC |
| 7. | Tripura | 56-Dharmanagar AC |
| 8. | Gujarat | 111-Umreth AC |
(By Order)
S.B. Joshi,
Principal Secretary,
Election Commission of India.
Secretariat, Chennai-600 009, 17th March, 2026.