Dehradun: Taking cognisance of a video purportedly showing the tampering of postal ballots, the Election Commission (EC) has sought a report from the Pithoragarh district magistrate on the matter at the earliest, an official said on Thursday.

The recording is said to have originated from the Didihat constituency.

"An action in the matter will be taken after his report is received," additional chief electoral officer C. Ravishankar said.

The video in which a man in Army uniform is purportedly seen ticking and signing several postal ballots was shared by AICC general secretary and former chief minister Harish Rawat on Twitter and Facebook on Tuesday asking whether the poll body would take cognisance of it.

"Meanwhile, on the complaint of Didihat Congress candidate Pradeep Pal, an FIR was filed against unidentified people under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the People's Representation Act," Pithoragarh superintendent of police (SP) Lokeshwar Singh said.

"The authenticity of the video is being verified," he added.

Also read: Activists Blame Timing of Polls as Uttarakhand Sees a 3% Drop in Voter Turnout

BJP leaders, including chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Pradesh party president Madan Kaushik, called the video "fake".

"The video is fake. The Congress has floated it in a face-saving attempt as it can foresee its defeat in the assembly polls," Dhami had said in Haldwani on Wednesday.

Kaushik said it was done by the party as it knows it is going to lose in the assembly polls and wants to blame the democratic institutions for its defeat.

He also called it an insult to the armed forces.

(PTI)

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.