Claim: A WhatsApp forward claiming to raise awareness among voters by explaining concepts such as 'challenge vote' and 'tender vote', is viral on several social media platforms.
Fact: BOOM found that two out of three claims in the viral WhatsApp forward are false. We had previously fact-checked the same message in 2019 when it was being shared on WhatsApp with false claims. We had then reached out to V Citizens Action Network (VCAN), a civil society organisation partnered with the Election Commission of India (ECI) through the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Maharashtra, who denied two claims in the message.
Tools used: An ECI spokesperson had confirmed to BOOM that the viral message is fake. Also, the ECI handbook has a detailed description on 'tender votes.'
Read the full fact-check here.