Amidst the ongoing 2024 general elections, a video has been circulating widely in which a woman alleges irregularities in the 2019 Lok Sabha election for the Varanasi constituency (here, here & here). In the footage, she claims that although 11 lakh votes were said to have been cast in the Varanasi elections, the EVMs recorded a total of 12,87,000 votes. This article aims to fact-check the assertions made in the video.
Claim: The number of votes counted in EVMs exceeded the number of votes cast in the Varanasi Lok Sabha elections in 2019.
Fact: The ECI has dismissed claims about discrepanices between the votes polled and counted for the Varanasi constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. As per the ECI, the total electorate in the 2019 Varanasi elections was 18,56,791. Out of these, 10,58,744 voted using EVMs. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
The first phase of the 2024 General Elections has concluded across 10 States/UTs. Amid the ongoing polling, a viral video has surfaced alleging irregularities in the Varanasi constituency during the 2019 general elections. Nonetheless, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has debunked these claims as unfounded. As per the ECI, the total votes polled through EVMs were 10,58,744 and not 11 lakhs, as claimed.
A Google search using keywords related to the viral claim led us to a tweet by the ECI responding to the same allegation. Previously, when another video making the same claim went viral earlier this month, the ECI clarified (archive) that the total electorate in the 2019 Varanasi elections was 18,56,791. Out of these, 10,58,744 voted using EVMs, and an additional 2,085 voters used postal ballots.
Previously, the same claim was shared citing an ECI letter stating that discrepancies between the total number of electors and votes polled in EVMs in 373 Parliamentary Constituencies. However, the Election Commission has clarified (archive) that it never issued such a statement.
Additionally, the ECI has released detailed data on the number of electors and votes polled for each Parliamentary constituency. This information confirms that the viral claim is incorrect.
To sum up, the ECI has dismissed claims of discrepancies between the votes polled and counted for the Varanasi constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
