Fake image shared to claim schedule for 2024 Indian elections is out

By: Umme Kulsum
February 26 2024

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Screenshot of the viral image circulating online. (Source: Facebook/ Modified by Logically Facts)

What’s the claim?

As the general elections in India draw closer, social media is buzzing with claims about upcoming polling dates, nomination deadlines, and cutoff dates for vote counting, as many users anticipate and predict which party or alliance will emerge victorious. An image of a purported official government statement or release mentioning “2024 GENERAL ELECTION DETAILS” is currently going viral on social media. The image claims that polling for the Lok Sabha elections will be held on April 19, and results will be announced on May 22. It also mentions other dates for nationwide election-related processes and implies that the elections will be notified on March 23.  

This narrative is gaining traction on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. One X post sharing the image in question had over 2,82,000 views at the time of writing. Archived versions of such posts and similar others can be found here, here, here, here, and here.

Screenshot of the purported polling schedule shared online. (Source: X/ Modified by Logically Facts)

However, Indian authorities have not released the schedule for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

What did we find?

Logically Facts checked the official website of the Election Commission of India (ECI)—the principal nodal agency responsible for conducting polls in the country— and came across no notification, statement, or press release regarding the 2024 Lok Sabha elections schedule. If the election schedule had been announced, it would have also been made available on the ECI website. The dates would have also been announced by the Press Information Bureau (PIB)—the nodal Indian government agency that puts out official statements and communication. However, details of the election schedule are not available on any official website linked to the Government of India, indicating that the viral image is making false claims. 

A Google search for 2024 Lok Sabha election dates also yielded no reports from any credible news outlet.

In fact, the ECI, through its official X account, issued a statement refuting the viral claim on the supposed election dates. This statement conclusively debunks the claims and confirms that the image circulating as an official announcement by the ECI is fraudulent.

The post also claimed that the official dates will be announced through a press conference by the ECI.

Back in January too, a letter was widely shared online claiming that the dates for the elections had been announced and that polling for Lok Sabha elections would commence on April 16. At the time, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Delhi issued a clarification that the date was merely a tentative reference but not an official announcement. You can read the article by Logically Facts here.

The verdict

The Election Commission of India has yet to announce dates for the 2024 general election. The image circulating online is fake.