(Image source from: India.com)

As General Elections 2019 in India is imminent, the Chief Electoral Officer of Goa has asked the police to investigate misinformation regarding online voting of Non-Resident Indians being forwarded on social media platforms.

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 Tuesday, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer has made it clear 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 the logo of Election Commission of India, creating confusion among the general public," the CEO statement said.

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

As of now, in order to cast their votes, 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.

An expert committee of the ECI had said no to e-voting for NRIs but approved proxy voting. Recently, a bill to extend proxy voting to NRIs was passed in the Lok Sabha, 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 on February 22 this year, the ECI had filed a complaint with Delhi police, asking it to track down those spreading "fake news" that NRIs can cast their vote online in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

By Sowmya Sangam