Video of EVMS showing anomaly fake: Chhattisgarh poll body report

RAIPUR:A video purportedly showing Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) displaying incorrect party symbols allegedly during the recently-concluded first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh is fake, the state’s chief election officer has said.

Officials aware of the developments said the video being shared on social media show voters complaining that the symbols of the party that they voted for did not show up on the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail that were attached to the EVMS.

The chief election officer has said in his report to the Election Commission that the video is not from Chhattisgarh, pointing to several differences in the voting compartment and the ballot paper. “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 in pink colour. But, in the video, it shows white colour ballot paper,” the report said. It also said the identity card of the poll staff is yellow, while the ones issued by the polling agency are white.

“The ballot unit is different from the ECIL M3 BU which we are using (All are M3 machines here in CG state). The video seems to be of a very cold place because people are wearing sweaters, jackets, etc ,” the report further says.

“Our first phase elections areas of November 12, do not have such type of weather. No one except in Ambikapur area uses this type of woollen clothes, and polling has not yet taken place there. It’s due on the 20th,” it said.

Chhattisgarh recorded 76% turnout as polls ended for 18 seats last week, in the first phase of the assembly election.

STATE’S CHIEF POLL OFFICER SAYS VIDEO WAS NOT SHOT IN CHHATTISGARH, POINTS OUT DISCREPANCIES IN COLOUR OF VOTING COMPARTMENT AND BALLOT PAPER