In the modern day India, two pieces of identity documents possessed by the citizens are changing the way administration is carried out. One is the voting card and the other is the newly launched Aadhar card. So what are the differences between these two documents? What different functions do they perform? And what are the difference in methods used to obtain these identity cards? These are the questions we try to answer in this informative and guiding article. Read on to enlighten yourself about the voting card and the Aadhar card.

Who Issues the Voting Card?

The voting card in India is issued by the Election Commission of India. This commission is a constitutional body obligated to look into the matters of election and related tasks. This means from conducting the elections to carrying out voting card registration, it is the ECI that is in-charge. For this reason, voting card is also known as the Election Commission of India identity card. All the information about it could be obtained from the commission’s official website which is, www.eci.nic.in

The Aadhar card on the other hand is issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India. This authority is officially assigned the task of creating a unified identification method of identification of Indian citizens. The innovation of the Aadhar is a major step towards creating such a unified and technologically advanced identification document. Unlike the Election Commission, the UIAN is not concerned with the election activities. Its duties include tasks that promote flawless identification of the people so that it is easier to carry out administrative activities along with the modernization of law and order.

How to get the Voting Card?

To get the Voting Card in India, you have to apply for inclusion of name to the voters’ list. This could only be done by filling the form no. 6. This form could either be filled offline or online. The offline form could either be printed or obtained fro ERO’s(Electoral registration officer) office. To print the form, you first have to download it. The download could be done from the ECI official website. Here is the direct link for downloading the voting card registration form no. 6: – http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/forms/FORM6.pdf  

Note: – It is mandatory to attach 2 passport size photographs of the applicant along with the required proof documents with the offline form no. 6

You can also apply online for your voting card because the above mentioned form no. 6 also has an online version available. This online form no. 6 could filled either on the official ECI website or also on your own state’s official CEO website. To apply on the ECI website, just visit eci.nic.in and click on the ‘Enroll Now’ button. After clicking this button enter your username and password. If you are not already registered on the ECI website, then click on the ‘New User Registration‘ button below the username and password slot. After successful registration, you can come back to the same page and then enter the newly made password and username, to easily access the online form no. 6.

For getting an Aadhar Card, you have to visit the designated Aadhar enrollment centers only. Online facility for application of Aadhar is not currently launched or made available by UIA. Therefore, you must ignore any e-mail offering online enrollment, as they are probably some sort of internet scam.

Hence, the only way of getting an Aadhar is by visiting the official enrollment centers. Here is the link which would help you locate your nearest Adhar center: – https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/easearch.aspx

To book an appointment for Aadhar enrollment, you can use this link: –  https://appointments.uidai.gov.in/#

Documents Required to Apply for Voting Card?

If you wish to apply for a voting card issued by the Election Commission of India, then you need to get the following documents ready: –

• Age proof documents(e.g. Class 10th mark sheet issued by a recognized board).
• Date of Birth prof documents(e.g.Birth certificate issued by the civic agency).
• Residence proof documents(e.g. any bank statement or a letter by a govt. agency sent to your place of ordinary residence).

If you wish to apply for Aadhar Card issued by the Unique identification authority of India, then you need to get the following documents prepared: –

There are four categories of documents required while filling the Aadhar enrollment form.

1. PoI(Proof of Identification).
2. PoR(Proof of Relationship) This is required if the applicant is not holding a proof of identity and using a relation’s proof document instead.
3. PoA(Proof of Address).
4. PoD.O.B(Proof of Date of Birth).

The lists of accepted documents are mentioned in detail, at the end of the Aadhar enrollment form.

Where can you use the Voting Card?

A voting card could be used by a voter to cast his/her vote during the elections. It is used as a proof of voter registration which could be shown to the polling officer present at the polling station. The officer would in turn verify the details of the voter and then accordingly grant an entry to the polling booth. The voting card also doubles up as an identity proof document.

Aadhar is actually a 12-digit unique identification number. For now, the usability of the Aadhar card is limited. Nevertheless, the future is bright for this modern identity proof document which is also readily accepted as an address proof. It is has unique feature which allows the holder of the card to connect it with his/her bank account.

Can You Download Your Voting Card?

It is 2015, but due to various issues, the voting card is only issued in the physical form. This means, there is no provision for the people to download the voting card over the internet. You can check out our complete article on this subject: – Can I Download my Voting Card?

For the Aadhar Card, the e-Aadhar is actually very popular. The e-Aadhar is nothing but the electronic form of the Aadhar Card. This means that it is indeed possible to download an Aadhar Card by legitimate applicants. You can check out the UIA website for more details on how to download it: – https://eaadhaar.uidai.gov.in/