What are the main categories of electors in India?
Ans.- There are 3 categories of electors in India: –
(i) General electors,
(ii) Oversees (NRI) electors - ( Kindly refer to ‘Frequently Asked Questions – Overseas Electors’),
(iii) Service Electors - (Kindly refer to ‘Frequently Asked Questions – Service Electors’).
Q2. Who is eligible to be registered as a general elector?
Ans. Every Indian citizen who has attained the age of 18 years on the qualifying date i.e. first day of January of the year of revision of electoral roll, unless otherwise disqualified, is eligible to be registered as a voter in the roll of the part/polling area of the constituency where he is ordinarily resident.
Q3. What is the relevant date for determining the age of 18 years? Can I get myself registered as a voter on the day when I have completed 18 years of age?
Ans.- According to Section 14 (b) of the Representation of People Act, 1950 the relevant date (qualifying date) for determining the age of an applicant is the first day of January of the year in which the electoral roll after revision is finally published. For example, if you have completed or are completing 18 years of age on any date from and after 2nd January 2013 but upto to 1st January 2014, you will be eligible for registration as a voter in the elector roll going to be finally published in January, 2014.
Q4. Can a non-citizen of India become a voter in the electoral rolls in India?
Ans.- No. A person who is not a citizen of India is not eligible for registration as a voter in the electoral rolls in India. Even those who have ceased to be citizens of India on acquiring the citizenship of another country are not eligible to be enrolled in the electoral rolls in India.
Q5. Can a non-resident Indian settled in foreign land become an elector of electoral roll in India?
Ans. Yes. According to the provisions of Sec 20A of the Representation of People Act, 1950 by the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2010, a person who is a citizen of India and who has not acquired the citizenship of any other country and is otherwise eligible to be registered as a voter and who is absenting from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to his employment, education or otherwise is eligible to be registered as a voter in the constituency in which his place of residence in India as mentioned in his passport is located.
(For more information, please refer to ‘Frequently Asked Questions – Overseas Electors’)
Q6. How can one get registered / enrolled in the electoral roll?
Ans. 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 or can be handed over to the Booth Level Officer of your 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 on line, the copies of necessary documents should also be uploaded.
Q7. From where Form 6 can be obtained ?
Ans. It can be downloaded from the website of Election Commission of India. Form 6 is also available free of cost in offices of Electoral Registration Officers / Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and Booth Level Officers of the concerned polling station areas.
Q8. What documents are required to be enclosed with Form 6?
Ans. One recent passport size coloured photograph, duly affixed in the box given for the purpose in Form 6 and photo-copies of documentary proof of age and residence are required to be enclosed with Form 6. The list of documentary proof of age and residence which can be enclosed with Form 6 is given in the guidelines enclosed with Form 6. For filling up Form 6, the said guidelines enclosed therewith may be referred to.
Q9. I do not have a ration card. Can I get enrolled without a ration card ? What are the other documents which I can show as a proof of my residence ?
Ans. If an applicant does not have a ration card, he can submit any other proof of residence, listed in the guidelines enclosed with Form 6.
Q10. Is a documentary proof of age required in cases where age of the applicant is more than 21 years?
Ans. Documentary proof of age is required only in those cases, where age of the applicant is between 18 and 21 years. In all other cases, declaration of his age by the applicant will be taken as proof of age.
Q11. An applicant who is of 18-21 years of age doesn’t have any of the documentary proof of age / date of birth. What paper he is required to attach with his application form for registration as an elector?
Ans. In case none of the documents specified by the Commission in the said guidelines is available with an applicant who is of 18-21 years of age, a declaration in prescribed format given in Annexure – I (enclosed with the Guidelines attached with Form 6 available on the website of Election Commission) made by either of the parents of the applicant (or by guru in case of an elector in transsexual (‘others’) category) can be given. In those cases where parental declaration is given as proof of age, the applicant will have to present himself for verification before Booth Level Officer /Assistant Electoral Registration Officer / Electoral Registration Officer. Further, if none of the above documents is available and neither of the parents is alive, the applicant can attach a certificate of his age given by a sarpanch of the concerned Gram Panchayat or by a member of the concerned Municipal Corporation / Municipal Committee/Legislative Assembly/Parliament.
Q12. I am a student staying at the place of study in a hostel / mess far from my native place. I want to get myself registered at my present address of residence. What should I do ?
Ans. In case of a student residing at the place of study, in hostel or mess managed by the educational institutions or elsewhere will have the option to get himself / herself registered as elector at his / her native place with his / her parents or at the address of hostel / mess where he / she is resident for the time being for pursuing his / her studies. The course pursued by the said students should be recognized by Central / State Governments / Boards / Universities / Deemed Universities and such courses should be of not less than 1 year’s duration. Such student who wants to enroll himself / herself at the hostel / mess will have to attach a bonafide certificate (as per the specimen at Annexure II of Guidelines attached to Form 6 available on the website of Election Commission) from the Headmaster / Principal / Director / Registrar / Dean of his/her educational institution with Form 6.
Q13. A homeless person, who is otherwise eligible for registration as an elector, does not possess documentary proof of ordinary residence. What is the procedure of verification in such case?
Ans. In case of homeless persons, the Booth Level Officer will visit the address given in Form 6 at night to ascertain that the homeless person actually sleeps at the place which is given as his address in Form 6. If the Booth Level Officer is able to verify that the homeless person actually sleeps at that place, no documentary proof of place of residence shall be necessary. Booth Level Officer must visit for more than one night for such verification.
Q 14. I am a tenant and my landlord does not want me to get enrolled. How can I get enrolled as a voter?
Ans.- To get enrolled in the voter list is your statutory right. Please check the electoral roll of your area available on website of Election Commission / Chief Electoral Officer of the state / in office of Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer. If your name is not included in the roll, please fill up Form 6 and deposit it with the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer / Booth Level Officer.
Q15. Who is competent to verify claim applications and objections?
Ans. The Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer of the concerned constituency.
Q16. Where the postal address of the Electoral Registration Officers can be obtained from ?
Ans.- Postal addresses of all Electoral Registration Officers are available on the website of Election Commission of India / Chief Electoral Officers of respective State / Union Territory (link to which has been provided on the Election Commission of India website).
Q17. If I apply on line, whether I need to send to the Electoral Registration Officer’s address, signed copy of the Form 6 along with required documents.
Ans.- As soon as the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer receives Form 6 filed on line, he downloads the form along with enclosure and deputes Booth Level Officer to visit your residence to verify and obtain your original signature on the application form.
Q18. Where will be the notice of hearing sent by Electoral Registration Officer?
Ans. The Electoral Registration Officer will send notice at the address of applicant in the country of his current residence, as informed by him and it will be considered as due service of notice to the applicant.
Q19. Is personal appearance of applicant or hearing parties necessary? If yes, how will the hearing be conducted?
Ans. Normally, personal appearance or hearing is not necessary. On receipt of Form 6, the Electoral Registration Officer shall display a copy of the said form on his notice board inviting objections, if any, within a week period. The Electoral Registration Officer may also ask the concerned Booth Level Officer to visit the residence of the applicant and verify with him / her, relatives or the neighbours, if any, the information provided by the applicant.
If Form 6 is complete in all respects and copies of all relevant documents enclosed and no person has objected within the stipulated period of one week the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer can order inclusion of name in the electoral roll after such verification by the Booth Level Officer as considered necessary.
In case there is an objection to the claim in From 6 for inclusion of name, the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer hears the applicant and the objector in respect of the objection raised.
Q20. Where can the list of claims and objections be seen?
Ans. It can be seen on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer of the State concerned. It also can be seen on the notice board at the office of the Electoral Registration Officer.
Q21. How will an applicant know that his/her name is included in the electoral roll?
Ans.- The decision of the Electoral Registration Officer will be communicated to the applicant by post on his address given by him in Form 6 and also by SMS on the mobile number given by him in Form 6. Electoral rolls are also available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer of the State concerned and can be seen by anybody.
Q22. How can corrections be made if there are some mistakes in the entries in the electoral roll pertaining to electors?
Ans. For correction of mistakes in electoral rolls, an application in Form 8 is to be submitted to the Electoral Registration Officer concerned.
Q23. I have shifted from my residence where I am registered an elector to some other place. How do I ensure that I am enrolled in my new place of residence?
Ans. In case the new residence is in the same constituency, please fill Form 8A, otherwise fill up Form 6 and submit to the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer of the area of your new residence.
Q24. I have shifted my residence recently. I have Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) with the old address. Can I get new EPIC for the present address?
Ans. First of all, you have to ensure that you are enrolled in the electoral roll of the concerned Assembly Constituency in which your new address is located. Though, it is not necessary to get your new address changed in EPIC, however, if you want to change address in EPIC, that can be done by making an application with a charge of Rs. 25 to Electoral Registration Officer of the new constituency. The Electoral Registration Officer will issue an EPIC with new address though the number of EPIC will be the same as that of the old EPIC.
Q25. My EPIC has some errors. What is the procedure to have a new EPIC with correct particulars?
Ans. You can make an application in Form 8 for rectification of the errors in your EPIC. The Electoral Registration Officer will issue a new EPIC, with the same number, after making the necessary corrections.
Q26. I have lost my old EPIC. How can I get a new EPIC ?
Ans. A replacement EPIC can be issued to an elector on payment of a fee of Rs. 25, alongwith a copy of the complaint lodged with the Police amount the loss of EPIC. However, no fee will be charged if the EPIC has been lost for reason beyond the control of the elector like flood, fire, other natural disaster etc.
Q27. Who can object to the inclusion of names in electoral rolls?
Ans. Any person who is a voter in the concerned constituency may object to the inclusion of names in electoral roll on the ground that the person whose names is included or is proposed to be included is not eligible to be registered as a voter in that constituency. An objection can be made in Form 7 to the concerned Electoral Registration Officer along with the relevant proof.
Q28. My neighbour / relative has shifted his residence to a new place but his name still continues in the electoral roll. In which Form the application for deletion of his name from the electoral roll can be made?
Ans.- For deletion of name of a shifted / dead / absentee elector from the electoral roll application can be made in Form 7. For deletion of a duplicate entry also, application should be made in Form 7.
Q.29 When can one get registered in electoral roll. Is enrollment is on throughout the year.
Ans. The Election Commission normally orders revision of existing electoral roll every year sometime in the months of September to October and such revised rolls are finally published in first week of January of the coming year. One can submit claim application (Form 6) during period for lodging claims and objections to Electoral Registration Officer or an officer designated to receive such applications, i.e., Designated Officer. Even after final publication, the rolls are updated continuously and one can get registered anytime during the continuous updation by filing a claim application to Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.
Q.30 Can one be enrolled at more than one place? If I am working / residing in Delhi, can I be an elector in my native place in Uttarakhand?
Ans. No. A person cannot be enrolled as a voter at more than one place in view of the provisions contained in Sections 17 and 18 of Representation of People Act, 1950. Likewise, no person can be enrolled as an elector more than once in any electoral roll. Any person while applying for fresh enrolment, makes a statement or declaration whether his / her name is already included in the electoral roll of any other constituency, and if such statement/declaration is false and which the applicant either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, he is liable to be punished under section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
Q.31 If I have a complaint against the order of Electoral Registration Officer, to whom I should make an appeal?
Ans. During the period of revision, you can file an appeal to the District Election Officer. In the case of application during the process of continuous updation, such appeal against any order of Electoral Registration Officer will lie before the District Magistrate
/ Additional DM / Executive Magistrate / District Collector of the District concerned. A further appeal against the order of Appellate Authority will lie before the Chief Electoral Officer of the State.