In the midst of the voting process in Lakhimpur Kheri, an alarming video has surfaced on social media, which sparked accusations of electoral malpractice. In the viral footage, a distressed voter claims to have encountered tampering with the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). According to his account, although he pressed the symbol corresponding to the bicycle, the BJPs symbol appeared on his voting slip. This assertion has led to serious allegations against the presiding officer, accusing them of rigging the elections.Viral video sparks controversyThe video in question emerged from booth number 232 of Gandhi Memorial Inter College in Gola town, situated within the Kheri Lok Sabha constituency. The individual identified as Hasimullah Barkati is seen expressing his grievances, specifically targeting the presiding officer, Prashant Pandey, for allegedly facilitating rigging at the booth. He stated that despite selecting the Samajwadi Partys bicycle symbol, his voting slip displayed the lotus flower emblem, associated with the BJP. Watch video here:A voter from #LakhimpurKheri parliamentary constituency of #UttarPradesh is saying that he voted for #SamajwadiParty but he received a #BJP slip from VVPAT.#LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/o5onkgMcRp— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) May 13, 2024Official response Following the circulation of the viral video, authorities in Lakhimpur Kheri responded. The District Magistrate, after conducting a thorough investigation into the matter, concluded that there was no evidence to support the claims made in the video. In fact, the DM categorically dismissed the allegations as baseless and deemed the video as fabricated. Consequently, instructions were issued to take appropriate action against the individual responsible for spreading false information.What has district magistrate saidMahendra Bahadur Singh, the District Magistrate and District Election Officer of Lakhimpur Kheri, addressed the controversy, affirming that an investigation was promptly initiated. Upon scrutiny, the accusations were found to lack substance, leading authorities to label the entire episode as a rumor fueled by the dissemination of misleading video content. Singh reiterated the commitment to uphold the integrity of the electoral process and assured that necessary measures would be taken against those found guilty of attempting to disrupt it.
