EC: Photo voter slips will no longer be used as identification document for election purposes

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday said photo voter slips will henceforth not be used as a standalone identification document for election purposes and voters can use any of the twelve approved identity cards when they go to cast their votes at the polling station.

The EC said the decision was made following a representation against the use of photo voter slips as a stand-alone identification document on the grounds of misuse as these are printed after the finalisation of the roll and are distributed just close to the poll by Booth Level Officers.

On earlier occasions the Commission had allowed photo voter slip as a document for identification as the design of the photo voter slip did not incorporate any security feature.

"The design of Photo Voter Slip does not incorporate any security feature and was started as an alternative document as the coverage of EPC was not complete," the EC said in a statement.

As per the order issued by the ECI, "Section 61 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that with a view to preventing impersonation of electors, so as to make the right of genuine elector to under section 62 of that Act more effective, provisions may be made by rules under that Act for use of Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) for electors as the means of establishing their identity at the time of polling."

The order also informed that the overseas voters will have to produce their original passport only for identification.

The Commission has directed all electors in all constituencies who have been issued EPIC have to produce it as identification at the polling booths before casting their votes.

The list of 12 documents accepted for identification include -- EPIC, passport, Aadhar card, driving licence, service identity cards with photographs issued to employees by central/state government, PSUs, public limited companies, passbooks issued by bank or post office, PAN card and smart card issued by the Registrar General of India under National Populations Register, MNREGA job card; health insurance smart card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour; pension document with photograph and official identity cards issued to MPs, MLAs, MLCs.

As per available information, at present, over 99 per cent electors possess EPIC, and more than 99 per cents adults have been issued Aadhar Cards, the order said.

"Taking all these facts in view, the Commission has now decided that a photo voter slip shall henceforth not be accepted as a standalone identification document for voting," the EC said.