Election Commission issues new directives

The Election Commission of India has directed that all electors in all constituencies who have been issued EPIC have to produce the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) for their identification at the polling station before casting their votes.

Those electors who are not able to produce the EPIC shall produce one of the alternative photo identity documents mentioned in paragraph 8 of the Order for establishing their identity. The list of documents is reproduced below for clarity:

1. Passport
2. Driving License
3. Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies.
4. Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office.
5. PAN Card
6. Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR
7. MNREGA Job Card.
8. Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour.
9. Pension document with photograph.
10. Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs, and
11. Aadhaar Card

On earlier occasions, the Commission had allowed Photo Voter Slip as a document for identification. However, there have been representations against its use as a stand-alone identification document on the grounds of misuse as these are printed after the finalisation of the roll and distributed just close to the poll through Booth Level Officers. The design of Photo Voter Slip does not incorporate any security feature, In fact, Photo Voter Slip was started as an alternative document as the coverage of EPIC was not complete.