Patna: Bihar is set to make history in its Panchayat elections, with the State Election Commission (SEC) introducing multi-post electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the first time. The 2026 Panchayat General Elections will allow voters to cast ballots for six posts simultaneously using a single EVM, although the “None of the Above” (NOTA) option will not be available.
The SEC has placed an order with Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Hyderabad, for over 32,000 multi-post EVMs, alongside power packs, totaliser machines, and detachable memory modules. The new machines will replace the older M-3 model previously used in the state’s Panchayat elections.
The machines, each equipped with a control unit and six ballot units, will streamline voting for multiple posts including ward members, Mukhiya, Panch, Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti members, and Zila Parishad members. Dr Deepak Prasad, State Election Commissioner, highlighted that the new EVMs will not only allow voting for six posts simultaneously but can also accommodate up to eight posts if required. In cases with more than 15 candidates for a single post, two ballot units will be deployed.
The state government has allocated Rs 208 crore to the SEC to facilitate the elections, which are scheduled to take place between November and December 2026. Traditionally, Bihar’s Panchayat elections are held in ten phases, and the introduction of multi-post EVMs is expected to simplify both voting and counting processes at each polling station.
