TAMIL NADU
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE
EXTRAORDINARY
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
©
[Regd. No. TN/CCN/467/2012-14
GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL NADU
[R. Dis. No. 197/2009.
2026
[Price: Re. 0.80 Paise.
No.199]
CHENNAI, TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2026
Panguni 3, Visuvaavasu, Thiruvalluvar Aandu–2057
Part V—Section 4
Notification by the Election Commission of India
V-4 Ex. (199)
[ 1 ]
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;
4. Now, therefore, the Election Commission of India, in exercise of its powers under the said Section 61A of the
Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Rule 49A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, hereby specifies all
the Assembly Constituencies in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry and 8 Assembly
Constituencies in 6 States (as per Annexure-I) to be notified on 16.03.2026, 30.03.2026 and 02.04.2026 as the
constituencies in which the votes, shall be given and recorded by means of EVMs and VVPAT printers in the manner
prescribed, under the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, and the supplementary instructions issued by the Election
Commission from time to time on the subject.