Mumbai, April 10 (IANS) The Maharashtra Chief Electoral Office (CEO) on Friday issued a clarification over reports regarding the inspection of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the Chandivali Assembly constituency of Mumbai Suburban district.

The clarification follows claims by former Congress minister Naseem Khan, who cited directives of the Bombay High Court to state that, for the first time in India’s electoral history, a court had permitted checking and inspection of EVMs in Chandivali, where he lost the 2024 Assembly election.

The CEO’s office said reports suggesting this was the first such verification in Maharashtra were factually incorrect, noting that similar verification processes had already been carried out for 17 candidates across the state between February and August 2025.

It said that as per judicial orders, verification of 20 EVMs — through EVM Check and Verification using a Diagnostic Check — in the 168-Chandivali Assembly constituency will be conducted on April 16, 2026.

The release further stated that following directions of the Supreme Court, the Election Commission of India issued guidelines in 2024 and 2025 allowing candidates securing second or third position in an election to seek EVM verification. The process, upon submission of a formal application and payment of prescribed fees, allows verification of up to 5 per cent of the total EVMs used in a constituency through either a mock poll or a diagnostic check.

In connection with the 2024 Maharashtra Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, 17 candidates had applied for such verification, which was subsequently completed for their respective constituencies between February and August 2025.

The release added that Naseem Khan had submitted an application for verification in November 2024 after paying the requisite fee. However, since an election petition filed by him was pending before the High Court at the time, the verification could not be carried out immediately, as prior court permission is mandatory in such cases.

Following his request, the Bombay High Court in February 2026 granted permission for verification of the EVMs used in the 2024 Assembly elections in the Chandivli constituency, the CEO said.

–IANS

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