The Election Commission has initiated first-level checks (FLC) of EVMs and Papertrail machines across the country in a phased manner ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and assembly polls in five states which are due at the end of this year. During FLCs, electronic voting machines and paper trail machines are checked for mechanical flaws by engineers of Bharat Electronics Limited BEL and Electronics Corporation of India Limited ECIL.<br />''  <br />'' The two Public Sector Undertakings BEL and ECIL manufacture the EVMs and Papertrain Machines. EC Sources said, in the pan-India exercise, FLC takes place across the country in a phased manner. The schedule of FLC is communicated to all national and state-recognized political parties. A mock poll is also held to check the two machines in the presence of representatives of political parties. The mock polls are part of the FLC process.