Fact Check: EC’s Order On Assembly Elections In Five States Going Viral With False Claims

New Delhi Vishvas News – Vishvas News fact-checked this claim and found that the Election Commission’s order does not mention any specific dates. Moreover, the Election Commission has not officially announced the dates for the assembly elections in the mentioned five states, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Therefore, the claim being circulated on social media is false.

What’s going viral?

The viral post was sent to Vishvas News’s WhatsApp tipline number +91 9599299372 by a user requesting verification. It includes an order claiming that elections have been announced in five states, with Madhya Pradesh’s election date specified as January 6, 2024.

The order was also shared on Facebook by ‘Dist. Congress Committee Ajmer’ on July 17, claiming that elections have been announced in five states and polls would be held on January 14, 2024, in Rajasthan, coinciding with the Makarsankranti festival. Another Facebook user, ‘Sameer More,’ shared the order, stating that elections in Madhya Pradesh would take place on January 6, 2024.

Vishvas News Investigation

To investigate the viral claim, Vishvas News examined the copy of the Election Commission’s order released on June 2, 2023. While the order provides guidelines regarding elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana, it does not mention any election dates. Subsequently, no information confirming the claim was found through Google searches or on the Election Commission’s website or official Twitter handle.

News on Lokmat’s website did mention the viral order, stating that the Election Commission had started preparations for elections in five states, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The commission provided guidelines to state chief secretaries and state election commissioners, particularly concerning transfer and posting procedures. The elections would involve 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh, 230 in Madhya Pradesh, 40 in Mizoram, 200 in Rajasthan, and 119 in Telangana.

Additionally, ABP Live published news on June 3, 2023, reporting that the Election Commission had begun preparations for elections in the five states. The chief secretaries of these states were instructed to transfer election officials who had either been posted in their home district or in a district for over three years.

Based on this investigation, it is evident that the Election Commission has not announced any election dates in their order, but rather it pertains to transfer and posting procedures. Vishvas News confirmed with Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s PSO, Sanjay Adlakha, who stated that no announcement had been made regarding the election dates, and any such information would be officially disseminated through the Election Commission’s website or social media channels. Therefore, the claim being circulated on social media is fake.

Upon analysing the Facebook profile of the user ‘Sameer More,’ who shared the order and made the false claim, it was revealed that they reside in Chandigarh and have around 4,100 friends.

Conclusion: The Election Commission is yet to announce the election dates for Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan, and Telangana. The viral order copy is related to transfer and posting procedures in the election-bound states.

Tags

• Assembly election
• Election Commission
• Fact Check
• fake news