Chhattisgarh poll authorities reject allegations of EVM tampering after viral video

Election authorities in Chhattisgarh have described as fake a video being shared on social media that purportedly shows EVMs displaying incorrect symbols during the recently-held first phase of elections in the state.

The video shows voters claiming that the symbols of the party that they had voted for did not correspond to the ones on paper trail machines attached to the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

In a report submitted to the Election Commission, state chief electoral officer has said the videos are not from anywhere in Chhattisgarh and has given reasons to support his claim.

He said the voting compartment shown in the video is different from the one used in Chhattisgarh in the phase one of polling on November 12.

"The voting compartment we are using is a corrugated plastic sheet with full-colour ECI symbol, whereas in the video it shows normal cardboard type without any symbol ...the ballot papers we are using are pink colour. But in the video, it shows white colour ballot paper," he told the poll panel in the report.

It also points out that the identity card of poll staff is yellow, while the ones issued by poll authorities in the state are white in colour.

"The balloting unit is different from the ECIL M3 BU which we are using. The video seems to be of a very cold place because people are wearing sweaters, jackets, woollen headgear, and mufflers.

"Our first phase election areas of November 12 do not have such type of weather. No one except those in Ambikapur area uses this type of woollen clothes, and there polling has not yet taken place. It's due on November 20," the report pointed out.

(With inputs from agencies.)