The Election Commission (EC) filed a complaint with the Delhi Police on Friday, asking it to track down those spreading "fake news" that NRIs can cast their vote online in the Lok Sabha elections due in April-May. Asking police to investigate the matter, the EC said its logo was used on social media to "mislead" people.
The EC said the "fake news" was violative of IPC Section 505 dealing with rumour-mongering and attempts to spread alarm among people. On Thursday, an EC spokesperson had said no such facility has been extended to NRIs. "If it happens, it needs amendment to the Representation of the People Act. No such amendment has taken place," the spokesperson had said.
As of now, overseas Indians have to register as voter, come to India, go to their constituency with the original passport issued to them when they had gone abroad and cast vote.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, there are about 3.10 crore NRIs living in different countries. An expert committee of the EC had said no to e-voting for NRIs but had approved proxy voting.
A bill to extend proxy voting rights to NRIs was passed in the Lok Sabha recently, but is pending in the Rajya Sabha. It is set to lapse on the dissolution of the present Lok Sabha on June 3.
