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No. The Quint’s fact-check found that a later Indian Express article about past disagreements among Election Commissioners did not retract or refute Ritika Chopra’s earlier investigation. The viral claim also misattributed a statement about unanimous decisions: The Quint says it came from the Election Commission of India (ECI), not from the later article’s author, Damini Nath.
What the viral claim said
A viral message cited an Indian Express article by Damini Nath and claimed the paper had published an “Explained” piece admitting that its earlier reporting was incorrect and had led to false conclusions. It described Chopra’s report as “slanderous,” said Nath’s article contradicted it, and questioned Chopra’s experience covering the ECI.
The Quint’s WebQoof fact-check found those claims misleading. It also noted that Chopra’s author page listed earlier ECI coverage, including work published in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025. The Quint’s fact-check
What the later Indian Express article actually covered
Nath’s article, “T N Seshan, N Gopalaswami, Ashok Lavasa: When Election Commission members differed,” was published on September 26, 2026. The Quint says it described historical instances of disagreement and dissent notes among Election Commission members. It did not say Chopra’s reporting was wrong or withdraw her findings. Indian Express article by Damini Nath
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The confusion appears to have involved two different accounts: Nath’s article about past disagreements and the ECI’s separate response to Chopra’s investigation. The Quint says language about unanimous decisions came from that ECI response, not from Nath’s article.
What Chopra’s investigation reported
The Indian Express investigation reported that two of the three Election Commissioners had recorded objections at least 14 times over ten months. That is the newspaper’s reported count, not a separately audited statistic. The objections concerned matters including a change to Form 6, access to electoral-roll software, appeals in West Bengal and work allocation; the paper said some were copied to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Indian Express investigation by Ritika Chopra
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The investigation also quoted Section 18 of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023. It said business should, “as far as possible,” be transacted unanimously, and that a matter on which commissioners differ is decided by majority. The article’s account of the provision is not, by itself, a legal finding about whether any particular decision complied with the Act. Indian Express investigation and its account of Section 18
How the ECI responded—and what remained unanswered
As reported by The Indian Express, the ECI acknowledged written notes and described differing views as a normal part of institutional deliberation. Its statement said, “Differing views and observations are a normal part of deliberation in any institution.” It characterized written observations and internal checks as standard practice and asserted that decisions in the preceding year, including decisions concerning SIR, had been unanimous. The ECI also cited around 40 new initiatives in recent months, according to the newspaper’s report. Indian Express report on the ECI response
The Indian Express said the ECI response did not answer specific questions about whether or how certain concerns raised in the investigation had been addressed. That distinction matters: the ECI’s account of its deliberations does not establish that the investigation was disproved, and the newspaper’s report does not establish that the ECI’s account was adjudicated or that wrongdoing occurred. The cited coverage records the competing accounts; it does not independently settle the underlying dispute.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to distinguish the three accounts
| Account | What it says |
|---|---|
| The Quint fact-check | Nath’s later article discussed historical disagreement; it did not retract or refute Chopra’s report. |
| Chopra’s Indian Express investigation | Reported repeated objections by two commissioners and described issues raised in those objections. |
| The ECI response, as reported by The Indian Express | Characterized notes and differing views as normal deliberation and asserted that decisions, including SIR, were unanimous. |
These texts answer different questions. The Quint addresses whether one article withdrew another; the investigation reports objections; and the ECI offers its own explanation of deliberative practice and decision-making.
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