Fact-Check: Polling for 2024 Lok Sabha Elections To Start on 16 April? No!

The date mentioned in the viral letter is a "tentative" date given for the purpose of planning and preparation.

Sharing a photo of a letter by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, social media users stated that the body had announced 16 April as the polling date for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

(Archives of more claims on social media can be seen here, here, and here.)

Is it true?: No, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has not announced polling dates for any elections in 2024 yet.

• The letter clearly states that the date '16.04.2024' is "tentative" and is given "for the purpose of reference" for Election Planners to plan polling dates accordingly.

How did we find out?: On reading through the viral letter, we saw that it mentioned the date as a tentative date.

• "For the ensuing General Election to the Lok Sabha 2024, the Commission has tentatively given the Poll Day as 16.04.2024 for the purpose of reference and to calculate Start and End dates in the election planner," it reads.

CEO Delhi Clarifies: Since the letterhead seen in the photo mentioned the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, we checked their official X handle for more details.

• Here, we came across a post which stated that the date – 16.04.2024 – was a "tentative" one "mentioned only for ‘reference’ for officials to plan activities as per Election Planner of ECI."

• Another post shared a press note carrying the clarification.

This note said that the tentative date was mentioned "purely for the purpose of advance planning, preparations and completion of activities" for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Conclusion: A viral letter issued by the Chief Electoral Officer is being shared to falsely claim that the ECI has set 16 April as the polling date for the Lok Sabha elections.

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