ECI steps in to check ‘fake news’ on WhatsApp
Nisha Nambiar | TNN | Apr 6, 2019, 10:03 IST
Election Commission of India PUNE: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rubbished a WhatsApp forward spreading misinformation about the voting process.
In a statement issued through the state’s chief electoral office, the ECI urged the public to not forward “false” WhatsApp messages.
The ECI was forced to step in after the WhatsApp forward went viral. The message claimed that people whose names don’t figure on the voters’ list can cast their ballot after showing their Aadhaar or voter ID cards and asking for “challenge vote under section 49A”.
“If a person finds that someone has already cast his/her vote, the person ask for ‘tender vote’ to vote,” the viral message further claimed.
In response to the message, the chief election officer’s office has clarified that if one does not have his/her name in the voters’ list, the person would not be allowed to vote. “No one can be permitted to vote until his/her name figures in the voters’ list,” election officials clarified, putting the rumours to rest.
The viral message also stated that if tender votes accounted for 14% of the total votes at a particular polling centre, the centre was subjected to re-polling. “This is completely false,” the ECI said.
The first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections starts from April 11 and will be completed in four phases in the state. The second phase of elections is scheduled on April 18, April 23 and April 29.
“Social media is a big platform with more than 80,000 groups rotating political messages to over 200 million active users monthly, such messages need to be immediately dealt with,” another election official said.
Hinjewadi Resident’s Association member Ravindra Sinha told TOI that the message had gone viral, prompting the election officials to issue a clarification. “We have to send out the clarification to all groups to ensure that citizens are not confused,’’ he said.
The election official said before forwarding any message, citizens should check for their authenticity as they can lead to unnecessary chaos in the society. The ECI central team has state units to provide updates about messages on social media.
In a statement issued through the state’s chief electoral office, the ECI urged the public to not forward “false” WhatsApp messages.
The ECI was forced to step in after the WhatsApp forward went viral. The message claimed that people whose names don’t figure on the voters’ list can cast their ballot after showing their Aadhaar or voter ID cards and asking for “challenge vote under section 49A”.
“If a person finds that someone has already cast his/her vote, the person ask for ‘tender vote’ to vote,” the viral message further claimed.
In response to the message, the chief election officer’s office has clarified that if one does not have his/her name in the voters’ list, the person would not be allowed to vote. “No one can be permitted to vote until his/her name figures in the voters’ list,” election officials clarified, putting the rumours to rest.
The viral message also stated that if tender votes accounted for 14% of the total votes at a particular polling centre, the centre was subjected to re-polling. “This is completely false,” the ECI said.
The first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections starts from April 11 and will be completed in four phases in the state. The second phase of elections is scheduled on April 18, April 23 and April 29.
“Social media is a big platform with more than 80,000 groups rotating political messages to over 200 million active users monthly, such messages need to be immediately dealt with,” another election official said.
Hinjewadi Resident’s Association member Ravindra Sinha told TOI that the message had gone viral, prompting the election officials to issue a clarification. “We have to send out the clarification to all groups to ensure that citizens are not confused,’’ he said.
The election official said before forwarding any message, citizens should check for their authenticity as they can lead to unnecessary chaos in the society. The ECI central team has state units to provide updates about messages on social media.
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