A viral video that has been circulating on social media platforms claims to show a man removing slips from a voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machine. The video has been linked to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, with users alleging that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is manipulating EVMs to influence the outcome of the elections.
A reverse image search using Google Lens reveals that the viral video was first published by an X user named ‘Shenaz’ on 13 December 2022. The caption accompanying the video states that it shows a scene from a strong room in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar constituency.Further investigation reveals that the Collector and District Magistrate of Gujarat’s Bhavnagar has confirmed that the VVPAT slips were removed and put in a black envelope as per the instructions given by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The ECI’s website also provides instructions on the steps to be followed to remove the VVPAT slips after the completion of voting.
The instructions on the ECI website state that the VVPAT paper slips should be removed from the VVPAT and kept in a paper envelope made of thick black paper. The envelope should then be sealed using red wax.
We were unable to independently verify the location or date of the video. However, based on the available evidence, it is clear that the video is old and has been falsely linked to the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
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Viral Video Linking VVPAT Slip Removal to 2024 Lok Sabha Elections is False
