DigitEye India Fact Checkers
A viral post in social media is making the rounds in the context of 2024 Lok Sabha elections being held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, 2024. The claim is that 171 votes were cast in Assam’s Dima Hasao booth, whereas only 90 voters were registered in this polling booth in the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.
The claim reads: “#BREAKING: There were only 90 voters at a booth in the Dima Hasao district of Assam, but 171 votes were cast in EVM! 5 Election Commission officers were suspended. #LokSabhaElection2024 #Election2024.”
See the claim being shared here and here.
FACT CHECK
Digiteye India took it up for fact-checking and our first step was to check across the social media for the posts to the effect. The results showed that the claim was made in the 2021 Assam Assembly elections and the Election Commission has ordered repolling besides suspending the officials who indulged in this act.
According to a news report, in Haflong, Assam, 171 votes were cast on April 1, 2021, in a booth where 90 people were eligible to exercise their franchise, hence, leading to suspension of polling officials and repolling was held.
The Chief Electoral Officer, Assam has also clarified on this claim now as below:
A false narrative has been circulated in the social media regarding 171 additional votes being polled in one of the polling station in Dima Hasao, district of Assam. pic.twitter.com/7dxiKtKST1
— Chief Electoral Officer, Assam (@ceo_assam) May 3, 2024
Hence, the claim that the incident occurred in the context of 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Assam is false.
Claim: There were only 90 voters at a booth in the Dima Hasao district of Assam, but 171 votes were cast in EVM in 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Conclusion: The claim is false. An old 2021 incident from Assembly election in Assam was passed of as of 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Rating: Misleading — 
