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| - Fact Check: All you need to know about the viral video of EVMs being transported in Varanasi
On March 8, a video of EVMs being transported by officials went viral. We found that EVMs caught by the SP workers were reportedly not the ones used for voting.
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India Today Fact Check
The EVMs seen in this video were transported for training purposes. However, Varanasi's Commissioner admitted there were lapses in the protocol in the movement of EVMs.
Just ahead of the counting of votes for the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, a video showing a group of Samajwadi Party workers confronting officials transporting Electronic Voting Machines went viral on social media. Alongside the video were allegations of the UP administration trying to manipulate election results by tampering with the EVMs.
Soon after the video went viral on March 8, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of “stealing” votes.
The archived versions of similar posts can be seen here, here, and here.
The India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) found the claim misleading. The EVMs caught by the SP workers were reportedly not the ones used for voting. According to the concerned authorities, the EVMs were being transferred for training the counting officers. However, Varanasi’s Commissioner Deepak Agarwal admitted that there were lapses in the protocols for transportation of EVMs.
AFWA probe
Closely observing the EVM boxes seen in the viral video, we noticed yellow and pink stickers on the boxes with '‘Training/Awareness EVM’’ written on them.
As the video went viral and gained the attention of opposition leaders, the District Magistrate of Varanasi clarified to the media that the EVMs were taken for training purposes for officers on counting duty.
“Counting workers' 2nd training is scheduled for tomorrow at UP College. 20 EVMs were being taken on a pickup van for hands-on training. These EVMs are always used for training purposes. In UP College, training of 928 counting employees is going on in 16 rooms. The EVMs which were used in the elections are all sealed in the strong room and are in the possession of CRPF and there is CCTV surveillance which is being watched by people of all political parties,” Varanasi Kaushal Raj Sharma said.
Counting workers' 2nd training is scheduled for tomorrow at UP College. 20 EVMs were being taken on a pickup van for hands-on training. It was stopped by some people, a confusion arose among them if they were polled EVMs: Kaushal Raj Sharma, Varanasi DM on Akhilesh Yadav's claim pic.twitter.com/hHpWWzA3R6 — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) March 8, 2022
The office of Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Electoral Officer also clarified that the EVMs were being brought in Varanasi for training, and insisted that the EVMs used in polling were sealed were under constant surveillance.
However, Akhilesh Yadav, during a press meet reportedly claimed that no information was given to his party candidates concerning the transport of the EVMs.
“If the EVMs were being transported for training, why weren’t the candidates informed?” The Indian Express quoted the former UP chief minister saying.
Congress party spokesperson Pawan Khera also questioned why training was scheduled just 36 hours before the counting of votes.
" ? 36 ?"
:- @Pawankhera pic.twitter.com/Myaa44Wp0v — Bihar Congress (@INCBihar) March 8, 2022
Varanasi's Commissioner Deepak Agarwal admitted that there were lapses in protocols in the movement of EVMs. However, the officer, while speaking to the media, insisted that the machines in question were only for training purposes.
Former IAS officer Sanjeev Gupta had also tweeted that according to the Election Commission protocol, no EVM can be transported without informing the Election Commission.
No EVM, whether or not used in polling, can be shifted without informing candidates.
EVMs earmarked for training are given separate tag during First Level Check & one should check
Each RO had sufficient time for counting training. Last minute rush was avoidable.@ChiefSecyUP pic.twitter.com/sldeLxg3fG — Sanjeev Gupta (@sanjg2k1) March 9, 2022
“Political Parties should necessarily be invited to witness this process from the opening of warehouse and resealing of the warehouse after taking out the EVMs/VVPATs for training and awareness. The entire process to be videographed,” notes chapter 5, section 12 of the Election Commission of India manual on Electronic Voting Machine and VVPAT.
It is hence clear that while there was a protocol violation in the transport of the EVMs, they were for training purposes.
(With inputs from Sanjana Saxena in Lucknow)
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