The Kerala police have filed a case against an online channel for allegedly spreading fake news about electronic voting machines (EVMs) and election officials ahead of the state’s upcoming elections. The case, registered at the City Cyber Crime station in Thiruvananthapuram, accuses the channel of claiming that EVMs in the capital district had glitches. This claim triggered disputes among election officials and local politicians, leading to the police action.
The police based the case on a complaint lodged by the district collector. Following the registration of the case, the online channel retracted the news, according to a Facebook statement from the police. Authorities have issued stern warnings against the spread of misleading information about the Lok Sabha polls. To prevent further incidents, the state police have established a 24-hour cyber patrol to monitor and detect various forms of cybercrime.
The controversy arose after Kerala’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) responded to opposition allegations suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) received extra votes during mock polls in Kasaragod district. The CEO clarified that EVMs are thoroughly tested and are not connected to external networks, reinforcing their security and reliability. The incident in Kasaragod was attributed to a “procedural mistake,” with the machines being stopped prematurely during a print test.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, senior deputy election commissioner Nitesh Kumar Vyas dismissed claims presented to the Supreme Court by advocate Prashant Bhushan regarding complaints during a mock poll. Vyas emphasized that these news reports were false and promised to submit a detailed report to the court. This incident underscores the growing need for vigilance against misinformation and highlights the steps taken by authorities to ensure fair and accurate elections.
