FACT CHECK BY NEWSMETER:
Claim: A video going viral on social media claims that the YSRCP lost votes due to EVM tampering in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections.
Fact: The claim is false. The video turned out to be from 2019 and is related to the TDP.
A recently circulated video on social media claimed that the YSRCP experienced a loss in votes during the recent elections, purportedly due to tampering with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The footage is accompanied by captions urging for fairness and advocating for an inquiry by both the Supreme Court and the CBI.
A Facebook user shared the video with the caption: "The people of Andhra Pradesh are calling for justice regarding the 2024 election results. We request a CBI inquiry monitored by the Supreme Court or the governor or a recount. This request represents the collective decision of the Andhra Pradesh people, including myself. We insist on the counting of VVPAT slips to validate the 2024 AP election results,” (Archive)
Similar posts can be seen here, here, and here. ( Archive 1 ) , ( Archive 2 ), ( Archive 3 )
Fact Check:
In the fact check, it was found that the claim is false and the video is from 2019.
After conducting a reverse image search of key frames from the video, it traced back to a publication on the ABN Telugu YouTube channel, dated April 14, 2019. The video was titled "Hari Prasad Complains On EC Over VVPAT Displaying Only for 3 Seconds, Instead of 7 Seconds."
This comprehensive report features Hari Prasad addressing the media, pinpointed at the 2-minute mark, where he claims that VVPATs were showing for only 3 seconds rather than the mandated 7 seconds. This specific segment of the video has been edited and circulated on social media platforms.
Furthermore, a keyword search uncovered an extensive report from The Quint titled "VVPAT Has a Coding Problem But EC Refuses to Listen: Hari Prasad Vemuru of TDP," dated April 18, 2019. In the report, Hari Prasad responds to The Quint, highlighting, "A common voter doesn’t understand whether it's 3 seconds or 7 seconds. They may feel that if 3 seconds has come, that’s fine for them. But for a programmer, it matters."
Similar reports from National Herald and Business Standard were also found.
The investigation found that the video in question is not related to the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections. Instead, it dates back to 2019 and concerns the TDP (Telugu Desam Party). The video has been misrepresented in the current context to suggest electoral malfeasance in the recent elections.
Claim Review: A video circulating on social media claims that the YSRCP lost votes due to EVM tampering in the 2024 Andhra Pradesh elections.
Claimed By: Social Media Users
Claim Reviewed By: NewsMeter
Claim Source: X and Facebook
Claim Fact Check: False
Fact: The claim is false. The video is from 2019 and is related to the TDP party.
(Disclaimer: This story was originally published by Newsmeter, and republished by India TV as part of the Shakti Collective.)
