ECI to issue voter information slips in place of photo voter slips, EPIC main source of identification

HYDERABAD: The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Telangana Vikas Raj on Wednesday gave details of the identification card/cards that the voters must keep ready for hassle-free polling on November 30.

To facilitate the voter to know the serial number of the electoral roll of his/her polling station date of poll, time and other details the Commission had decided to issue 'Voter Information Slip' to the voters in place of Photo Voter Slip.

Voter information slips would include information like polling station, date, and time of the poll. Voter information slip would be distributed at least five days before the date of poll to all enrolled electors, by the District Election Officer. However, a voter information slip would not be allowed as proof to identify the voters.

As a part of ensuring free and fair polls in the coming general elections to the State Assembly of Telangana, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued clear orders on Wednesday regarding the identification of genuine electors to avoid impersonation and to help the genuine voter to exercise his/her right to vote freely, keeping aside negligible errors, if any.

As per the fresh order, the voter should produce his EPIC (Elector Photo Identity Card) at the polling station before casting his/her vote. Those who could not produce EPIC should produce any one of the alternative photo identity documents for establishing their identity from the following, such as an Aadhaar card, MNREGA job card, passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office, health insurance smart card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour, driving license, PAN card, smart card issued by Registrar General of India (RGI) under National Population Register (NPR), Indian Passport, pension document with photograph, service identity cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Governments, public sector units, public limited companies, official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, and Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India.

Any EPIC-related clerical errors, or spelling mistakes, must be ignored to identify the elector. “If an elector produces an EPIC that has been issued by the Electoral Registration Officer of another Assembly Constituency, such EPIC shall also be accepted for identification provided that the name of that elector finds a place in the electoral roll about the polling station where the elector has turned up for voting,” the fresh orders said.

In case it was not possible to establish the identity of the elector on account of a mismatch of photographs, the elector must be able to produce one of the alternative photo documents mentioned above.

Overseas electors who were registered in the electoral roll, based on the particulars in their Indian Passport, should be identified based on their original passport only at the polling station.