India TV Fact Check: As India gears up for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the proliferation of fake news on social media platforms poses a significant challenge to the democratic process. In response, India TV has initiated a Fact Check segment to counter this misinformation. A recent instance of this effort involved debunking false claims surrounding the 2019 elections in Varanasi, where viral videos alleged irregularities with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Several viral videos allege that in Varanasi the total votes counted by EVM exceeded the total votes polled. However, upon investigation by India TV, this claim was debunked as entirely false. It is crucial to remain vigilant against misinformation during significant electoral events like the Lok Sabha elections to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.
What is going viral?
A video circulating on social media related to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is garnering attention. The video claims that the number of votes counted in EVMs exceeded the number of votes cast in the Varanasi Lok Sabha elections in 2019. Facebook user Jangsher Khan Khan shared the video, asserting that while 11 lakh votes were reportedly cast in the Varanasi elections, EVMs counted 12 lakh 87,000 votes. Similarly, another user named Shubham Dharne posted similar claims while sharing the video on X platform.
India TV did fact check
In response to the viral video alleging EVM malfunction during the elections, we initiated an investigation. Utilizing Google Open Search, we sought out news articles pertaining to the alleged incident. However, upon opening the official handle of the Election Commission, we uncovered the truth behind the viral claims. The Election Commission unequivocally refuted the assertion of EVM malfunction in Varanasi.
According to the Commission's clarification, the total number of voters in the 2019 Varanasi elections amounted to 18,56,791. Of these, only 10,58,744 individuals cast their votes via EVM, with an additional 2085 voters utilizing postal ballots.
Highlighting the first false claim made in the video, the ECI wrote, “False Claim 1: false claim is made in a video regarding mismatch of electors & votes polled in #EVM in VaranasiPC during #GE2019.” “Reality: claim is misleading& fake. Total Electors in VaranasiPC were 18,56,791. Total votes polled & counted in EVM-10,58,744 & postal votes-2085," it said.
“False Claim 2: A false claim is being made quoting ECI letter that mismatch between total electors & votes polled in EVM were found in 373 PCs in #GE2019.. Reality: claim is misleading, #fake & baseless. There is no such communication issued by #ECI. There was no mismatch.”
The Election Commission also provided a link to verify the details of electors and votes polled on a Parliamentary constituency-wise basis. A PDF file containing this information is included later in the article for reference.
What came out in the fact check?
The India TV fact-checking team has concluded that the social media claim suggesting that the total votes counted by Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in several Parliamentary constituencies during the 2019 General Elections exceeded the total votes polled is misleading.
