In one of our previous articles, we laid down a list of all the important electoral tasks conducted by the Election Commission in the year 2014. There and then, we also emphasized on the importance of the innovations like the electronic voting machine and the voter id cards. So, now we dedicate this article towards imparting some important information about the Election Commission of India identity card, or as many people call it, the EPIC(electors’ photo identity card). Here, we lay down a complete description of this very important election voting instrument which doubles up as a widely accepted identity document for various government programmes.

We call it a voting instrument because it is that very document which lets you enter the polling station, once your identity is verified by the polling officer, so that you can cast vote. Whereas, it being referred to as an identity documents because you can present your Election Commission of India identity card as an accepted address, identity, etc. proof for various government programmes. It could also used as an identity proof while opening a bank account, applying for a visa to travel abroad or even while applying for a new sim card.

Applying for an Election Commission of India Identity Card

To enroll your name in the voters’ list and get your Election Commission of India identity card, you need to fill the form no. 6 for inclusion of name. You can download the form through this link: – http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/forms/FORM6.pdf You can then take a print out of this downloaded file and fill the same with all the required details. You then have to attach 2 passport size photographs along with all the documents required to apply for a voter id card. The completed application is then has to be submitted at your local ERO(electoral registration officer) either in person or by post. If you are unable to download or take the print out of the form, you can also obtain it from the ERO office.

You can also apply voter id card registration online. This means that the same form no. 6 could be filled online on the ECI official website wwwe.eci.nic.in OR on the official website of your own state’s CEO. It is not mandatory to upload the proof documents while applying through online application for Election Commission of India identity card, the same documents could instead be handed over to the BLO who visits your residence for voter id card verification. Although, it is mandatory to upload your photograph on the online form.

All Info Present of the Election Commission of India Identity Card

Let us now discuss in detail, what all information is present on the Election Commission of India identity card. The card carries your(the applicant’s) personal details which he/she provided while filling the above mentioned form no. 6. These details are printed not only in English but also in your native language(the local language of the constituency from which you applied for registration).

Not all the details you provide come on to appear on the voter id card. The details which appear on it include: –

• Your name
• Your father’s name
• Gender
• Age as on the 1st January of the year in which you applied

Address includes: –

• Village/Ward
• G.P Town
• P.O
• District

Other Components of the Election Commission of India Identity Card

Apart from these details, as you can see in the image above, the voter id card has our national emblem on the top followed by the voters’ photograph. Please note, the photograph that appears on the Election Commission of India identity card is the same one which you upload/attach while filling the voter registration form no. 6. So make sure you attach a clear and crisp picture with your form, so that the election officer is able to match it with your actual appearance.

The voter identity card also has the unique ECI hologram. This hologram is difficult to forge and hence allows the polling officials to differentiate between original and fake/defunct voter id cards.

The card also has the following note: – ‘This card can be used as an identity card Under different Government programmes’. This note itself validates the credibility of the voter id card as a valid identity card.

At the end of the card, you can find the facsimile signature of the Electoral Registration Officer of your district(the same district from where you applied for voter registration). Without this signature, the voter id card is not authenticated, hence it is important to check your card for the same.

Nevertheless, any mistake in your details present on the Election Commission of India identity card could jeopardize your ability vote. Hence, any errors in such details must be immediately reported. To correct such mistakes, you have to fill the voter details correction form no. 8. Just like the form no. 6, this too could be filled online on the ECI website. In this form, you have to provide the description of the errors present on your card and also attach/upload the required identity, age, D.O.B and address proof documents.

Quality and Composition of the Election Commission of India Identity Card

The present day Election Commission of India identity card is made up of paper and the same is plastic laminated. Various concerns have been raised for the quality of this card. Following these concerns, the ECI may soon launch plastic voter id cards. The distribution of high quality plastic cards has already been started in some of the states but still it is not that widespread to envelope a majority of India’s electorate. We can expect advances in the quality of voter id card in the near future.