25th January – A day to check from election office that your name is included in the voters list – If not get it included.

Brig. K.G. Behl (Retd.)

President, All India Consumers Council &

Sanyukta Nagrik Sangathan, Uttarakhand

During the last elections held in the State a number of people complained that they had voting cards but their names were not there in the list available in the election booth and as such could not vote. It was later learnt that their names were in the list of voters but due to some mismanagement those lists could not be made available in the booths where they were required. However the authorities concerned have been sounded with the hope that such incidents do not take place in the future.

It is the duty of every citizen who is eligible to vote to find out if they have necessary voter identity card and if not try to get the name registered in the voting list which can be seen in the Election Office Voters’ Participation in the democratic and electoral processes is integral to the successful running of any democracy and the very basis of wholesome democratic elections.

January 25 is celebrated as the National Voter’s Day in India. The Indian constitution allows every Indian citizen above the age of 18 to cast their votes according to their own choices. This day provides an opportunity for voters to check that their names are included in the voting list and they have proper voters ID card. As such the offices of the Election office are solely devoted to this cause to enable voters to check weather their names are included in the list or not. Necessary forms are also kept ready for the purpose.

To cast one’s vote, one has to have his or her name enrolled in the list of electors prepared by the Election Commission of India (ECI). A Voter ID Card is issued to every voter in India. Indian Voter ID Card or Electoral Photo Identification Card (EPIC) is issued by the Election Commission of India to identify each Indian citizen. The card can be used as a proof of identity and address.

A lot of people find it difficult to put their EPIC number and other credentials on the Voter ID Card. Recognizing this, Election Commission of India, in 2009, formally adopted Voter Education and Electoral participation as an integral part of its election management. It is in this connection that 25th January is celebrated as a National Voters Day.

Election Commission of India was established in accordance with the Constitution on 25th January 1950. The Constitution of India has vested in the Election Commission of India the superintendence, direction and control of the entire process for conduct of elections to Parliament and Legislature of every State and to the offices of President and Vice-President of India.

Voters’ Participation in the democratic and electoral processes is integral to the successful running of any democracy and the very basis of wholesome democratic elections.

Every Citizen who is 18 years old on the qualifying date (1st January of the concerned year, unless disqualified is eligible to be enrolled)

(b) Enrollment only at ordinary place of residence.

(c) Enrollment only at one place.

(d) Overseas Indian deemed to be ordinarily resident at address given in passport.

(e) Service Voters deemed to be ordinarily resident at their home address.

The names of eligible electors ordinarily residing in an assembly constituency, are enlisted in the voters list by the registering authority, these lists are called Electoral Roll of that constituency.

For voter ID card one has to file the application for the purpose, in prescribed Form 6, before the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer of the constituency within which the place of ordinary residence of the applicant falls. The application accompanied by copies of the relevant documents can be filed in person before the concerned Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer or sent by post addressed to him/her or can be handed over to the Booth Level Officer of the respective polling area, or can even be filed online on website of Chief Electoral Officer of the concerned state or website of Election Commission of India. While filing Form 6 online, the copies of necessary documents should also be uploaded.
It is been observed that while verifying the voters list by the department the detailed persons who visit homes, delete the names of those who are not physically present there, which causes unnecessary inconvenience and they are unable to cast votes. As such the election office should ensure before deleting the missing names that they are actually not residing there but names of those who are simply absent at that time due to one or the other reason are not deleted.