Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) will not be able to vote online in the upcoming Indian elections, the Election Commission of India has said.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has filed a police complaint in New Delhi regarding fake news being spread on social media sites – WhatsApp, Twitter and Facebook relating to online voting by NRIs in 2019 general elections.
“I am directed to state that fake news regarding the online voting by the NRIs in General Election 2019 is being circulated on WhatsApp etc.
“This fake news contains the logo of the ECI. The publication of such fake news is causing severe confusion to the public thereby creating public nuisance and mischief.
“The unauthorized use of the ECI logo and the completely false statement regarding online voting seems to be done with a deliberate intent to cause mischief and mislead the public,” the official complaint letter reads.
A first time voter shows her ink marked finger after casting her vote at a polling booth in New Delhi, India, 10 April 2014. Source: EPA
"Beware of fake news in social media"
The ECI has also put up a notice on their official website stating ‘there is no online facility for any category of voter.’
The social media posts informing ‘those who hold an Indian passport, can now vote online’ which have gone viral online is fake news, says ECI.
FAKE NEWS POSTS GO VIRAL:
"One can enrol to vote online, but one cannot vote online"
The ECI has issued a clarification that one can enrol online as an NRI voter but there is no facility to actually vote online.
Indian citizens living abroad will be able to enrol as voters but to cast the vote, the NRI will have to be in India and will need to come to his designated polling station to cast his vote.
“Overseas Indians may submit an application for enrolment in form 6A online at nvsp.in or by using Voter helpline mobile app.
“To cast the vote on the date of the poll, an overseas elector may come to his designated polling station with his passport as a document for identification,” the ECI says on its website.
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