Today, the presiding body of the Special Group of the Rio Carnival held a lottery to determine which judging booths' scores would count in this year’s parade evaluation. Out of the five judging booths, the first and fifth were eliminated, meaning their scores will not be considered as valid during the crucial scoring event scheduled to begin at 4 PM. This process is part of a new evaluation methodology that aims to enhance the fairness and transparency of the carnival judging process.

According to Gabriel David, the president of the Liga Independente das Escolas de Samba (LIESA), the new method includes six jurors for each evaluation criterion, but only four scores will be valid and included in the final tally. As part of this system, the lowest score given by the jurors will be discarded, ensuring that the overall assessment reflects the majority consensus of the judging panel. This adjustment signifies a shift in how scores are tallied, hoping to provide better-defined evaluations for the schools participating in the carnival.

The specific judging areas have been identified, as follows: Booth 1, located at sector 3A near the beginning of the parade route, and Booth 5, located between sectors 10 and 12 near the end. The judges for the various categories, including allegories and percussion groups, have also been assigned and detailed, marking an important precursor to the actual parade events. This change is expected to ensure a more competitive spirit among samba schools, allowing participants to showcase their creativity and talent more effectively during Brazil's most famous festival.