Our Commitment to Accuracy
At Knowledge Mart, we take accuracy seriously. Political, legal, administrative and social issues can be sensitive, and even a small factual error can change the meaning of an entire discussion. We therefore make reasonable efforts to verify important facts before publishing an article.
Our aim is not to treat every statement found online as a fact. We try to identify where information comes from, check it against reliable sources and make a clear distinction between verified facts, allegations, claims, analysis and opinion.
How We Verify Information
- Primary Sources First: Wherever possible, we give preference to primary sources such as government notifications, official documents, gazettes, Election Commission of India (ECI) material, court records, government data and direct statements issued by public authorities.
- Cross-Checking: When information comes from news reports or other secondary sources, we try to compare it with additional credible reports, official records or other available evidence. The number of sources may vary depending on the nature of the claim and the information available.
- Data Verification: Figures involving elections, voter turnout, seats, government schemes, appointments, transfers and other administrative matters are checked against official datasets or reliable source material whenever such information is available.
- Dates, Names and Figures: Particular attention is given to basic factual details that can easily be misreported, including dates, names, designations, constituency details, election results, numerical figures and references to government or court decisions.
- Technical Claims: When an article discusses technical subjects such as EVMs, election technology, databases or digital systems, we try to refer to relevant technical documentation rather than relying only on political statements or social media claims.
- Claims and Allegations: Political allegations are not automatically treated as established facts. Where a claim is disputed or cannot be independently verified, we try to identify it as a claim or allegation and provide the relevant context.
Fact Checking in Political Analysis
Knowledge Mart publishes both analysis and opinion. A strong editorial position does not remove the need for factual accuracy. When we analyse a political development, we aim to separate the underlying facts from our interpretation of those facts.
Political forecasts and predictions are inherently uncertain. They are therefore presented as analysis or assessment, not as established facts or guaranteed outcomes.
Corrections Policy
No editorial process is completely free from mistakes. If a factual error is identified, we review the information and make a correction when appropriate.
- Prompt Review: Reported factual errors are reviewed as soon as reasonably possible.
- Correction: Where an error is confirmed, the relevant information is corrected without unnecessarily changing the original context or argument.
- Correction Note: If a significant factual error materially affects an article, a correction note may be added to the article explaining what was corrected.
- Transparency: Where appropriate, a significant correction will indicate the nature of the change and the date of the correction.
- Reader Feedback: Readers are encouraged to report potential inaccuracies through our Contact Us page. Reports are reviewed on the basis of the evidence provided.
What Fact Checking Does Not Mean
Fact checking does not mean that every Knowledge Mart article will reach the same conclusion as another publication or that every political viewpoint will receive equal weight. Our analysis may be critical, argumentative or opinionated. The important distinction is that opinion should not be presented as fact, and factual claims should be supported by reliable evidence wherever reasonably possible.
Our fact-checking approach is therefore simple: check the source, verify the claim, provide the context and correct mistakes when they are found.