Probe fake NRI online voting social media forward: Goa CEO

The Chief Electoral Officer of Goa has asked police to probe a message being forwarded on social media which wrongly claims that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) will be allowed to vote online in the Lok Sabha polls.

Elections for Goa's two Lok Sabha seats, with 11.31 lakh voters, and bypolls for three Assembly seats will be held on April 23.

In a press statement issued here Tuesday, the office of the CEO has clarified that the Election Commission of India (ECI) had not made any such online voting provision for NRIs.

"It is observed that some people are spreading fake news through social media using logo of Election Commission of India, creating confusion among the general public," the CEO statement said.

"Taking cognisance of such fake news and complaint received about the same, the office of Chief Electoral Officer has referred the matter to police department to investigate," the statement informed.

As of now, overseas Indians have to register as voters, come to India, go to their constituency with the original passport issued to them when they had gone abroad and cast their votes.

An expert committee of the ECI had said no to e-voting for NRIs but approved proxy voting.

A bill to extend proxy voting rights to NRIs was passed in the Lok Sabha recently, but it is pending in the Rajya Sabha. It is set to lapse on the dissolution of the present Lok Sabha on June 3.

Earlier, the ECI had, on February 22 this year, filed a complaint with Delhi police, asking it to track down those spreading "fake news" that NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) can cast their vote online in the coming Lok Sabha elections.