FAQs
1. How can I vote if someone has already voted against my EPIC number? What is a Tendered vote?
If a person representing himself to be a particular elector applies for a ballot paper after another person has already voted as such elector, he shall, on satisfactorily answering such questions relating to his identity as the presiding officer may ask, be entitled, subject to the provisions of this rule, to mark a tendered ballot paper in the same manner as any other elector.
Every such person shall, before being supplied with a tendered ballot paper, sign his name against the entry relating to him in a list in Form 15
A tendered ballot paper shall be the same as the other ballot papers used at the polling except that Such tendered ballot paper shall be serially the last in the bundle of ballot papers issued for use at the polling station Such tendered ballot paper and its counterfoil shall be endorsed on the back with the words ""tendered ballot paper"" by the presiding officer in his own hand and signed by him.
The elector, after marking a tendered ballot paper in the voting compartment and folding it, shall, instead of putting it into the ballot box, give it to the presiding officer, who shall place it in a cover specially kept for the purpose.
2. What happens when your vote is challenged?
In case your identity as a voter is challenged by a polling agent of any candidate, on the ground that you are not the person whose name is listed on the rolls, the Presiding Officer will ask the challenger to give evidence in proof, of his challenge. Similarly, he will ask you for proof of your identity. You can use your EPIC or any other supporting document like Passport, Ration card etc. for this purpose. If the challenge is not established, you will be allowed to vote. However, if challenge is established, you will be debarred from voting and handed over to the police with a written complaint by the Presiding Officer.
3. What are the alternative original photo identification cards to be shown along with the voter slip, if you don't have an original EPIC?
Photo voter slips are not valid as stand-alone identification document for voting.
Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or one of the eleven specified photo identity documents essential for casting a vote.
The Election Commission of India has directed that all electors in all constituencies who have been issued Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) have to produce the Electors Photo Identity Card 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 following alternative photo identity documents for establishing their identity. The list of eleven documents is:
Passport,
Driving License,
Service Identity Cards with photographs issued to employees by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies,
Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office,
PAN Card,
Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR,
MNREGA Job Card,
Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of the Ministry of Labour,
Pension document with photograph,
Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs and Aadhaar Card.
Overseas electors shall have to produce their original passport only for identification. To assist the Voters, the Commission has further directed its officers that in the case of EPIC, minor discrepancies in the entries should be ignored, provided the identity of the elector can be established by the EPIC. If an elector produces an EPIC which has been issued by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of another Assembly Constituency, such card shall also be accepted for identification, provided the name of that elector finds place in the electoral roll pertaining to the polling station where the elector has turned up for voting. If it is not possible to establish the identity of the elector on account of mismatch of photograph, etc. the elector shall have to produce one of the above mentioned alternative photo documents.
4. If your name is not found in the marked copy but is present in ASD ( Absentee, shifted, Duplicate or Dead) voters List, how to vote?
The State Election Commission has directed the election officials to take thumb impression and also photograph of the voter, who claims to be in the list of ASD (absentee, shifted and duplicate/death) and comes for voting. The Commission was of the opinion that the names of some absentee, shifted and duplicate/death (ASD) electors continue to appear on the electoral rolls even after making efforts to remove such names and this would create a scope for impersonation.
5. For every constituency, there is a list of voters which is called electoral roll. What is the minimum age for enrollment in an electoral roll?
Eighteen
For every constituency, there is a voters list Article 326 of the Constitution, and Sec. 19 of R. P. Act, 1950 stipulate that the minimum age for registration of a voter is 18 years.
6. Was 18 the minimum voting age in India from the beginning?
No
Earlier, the age for registration of a voter was 21 years. Through the 61st amendment Act, 1988 of the Constitution read with Act 21 of 1989 amending the R. P. Act, 1950, the minimum age of registration of a voter has been brought down to 18 years. This has been made effective from 28th March, 1989.
7. Which is the relevant date for determining the age qualification of 18 years? Suppose, you have completed 18 years of age today. Can you get yourself registered as voter ?
According to Section 14 (b) of the R. P. Act, 1950, the qualifying date means the first day of January of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised.
8. Can a non-citizen of India become a voter?
No
A person who is not a citizen of India cannot be registered as a voter. Article 326 of the Constitution read with Sec. 16 of R. P. Act, 1950 clarify the point.
9. Can a non-resident Indian citizen become a voter?
According to Section 19 of the R. P. Act, 1950, only a person who is ordinarily resident in a constituency is entitled to be registered in the electoral roll of that constituency. However, such of the non-resident Indian Citizens who are employed under Govt. of India in a post outside India are eligible to be registered as voters in terms of Sec 20 (8) (d) read with Sec 20 (3) of the R. P. Act, 1950.
10. If I am working and living in Telangana, can I be a voter in my native village?
No
If you are working in Telangana and residing there, you are an ordinary resident of Telangana in terms of Sec 19(b). Therefore you can be enrolled at Telangana only and not in your native village.
11. Can one be enrolled at more than one place?
No
A person cannot be enrolled as a voter in more than one place in the same constituency or in more than one constituency in view of the provisions contained under Sec. 17 and 18 of R. P. Act, 1950.
12. How can I get registered/enrolled in the Electoral Roll?
You have to submit a filled in Form - 6 to the ERO of the Assembly Constituency.
- Easy Steps to fill Form - 6
13. What is the procedure to make corrections in such names / other details that have been misspelt in the Electoral Roll?
For incorporation of corrections in the Electoral Rolls, You have to submit Form - 8 to the ERO of the Assembly Constituency. Following are the various forms useful for registration as voter, corrections, change in address etc.
14. I have shifted my residence recently. How do I ensure that I am enrolled in my new place of residence and my name is deleted from the old place?
In case the new residence is in the same constituency please fill Form 8A otherwise form 6 and submit to the ERO (SDM) or the AERO of the area of your new residence.
15. I have shifted my residence recently. I have Photo EPIC Card with the old address. Can I get new EPIC Card for the present address?
First of all please ensure that you have enrolled yourself in the Electoral Roll of the concerned AC, where you are now residing following the procedure given in Ans. No.10. Subsequently, a new card at the present address will be issued to you.
16. My old EPIC Card is defective. I would like to have a new EPIC Card with correct particulars. What is the procedure?
You can get your I Card rectified by depositing it in the Office of the ERO concerned or at Photography Centre when the work of preparation of Photo ID card begins.
17. 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 proof of my residence?
Ration Card is not necessary, however, you can show any other proof of residence like Passport, Bank Pass Book, Driving license etc. or any Govt. document to facilitate the work of registration.
18. I am a tenant and my landlord does not want me to get enrolled. How can I get enrolled as a voter?
To get enrolled in the voter list is your statutory right. Please check the Electoral roll of your area ERO (SDM)/AERO office. If your name is not included please fill up Form 6 and deposit it with the ERO.
19. I have attained / will be attaining the age of 18. What proof do I need to show to get enrolled?
You can submit the proof of Date of Birth from the authorized agency (Passport, Matric certificate, Date of Birth certificate etc.).
20. When I fill up Form 4, should I attach proof of my residence with Form 4?
It is not essential but if you attach a proof of residence, it will help early verification of the particulars given by you.
21. An Enumerator has visited my house and taken down the details. How do I ensure that my name is finally included in the electoral rolls?
He must have handed over to you the record of Enumeration, which is your acknowledgement. You can check your name in the draft roll, which will be published and available at the office of the ERO concerned to confirm that your name exists in the roll.
22. I have lost my old EPIC Card. How can I get a new EPIC Card?
You can deposit a copy of the FIR lodged at the Police Station. You will get a new EPIC Card after deposit of Rs. 25. The dates for issuing EPIC Cards are published in leading Newspapers.
23. Who is responsible for the preparation of electoral rolls for a Parliamentary or Assembly Constituency?
The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO). In the case of Delhi, these are the area Sub-Divisional Magistrates/Additional District Magistates. The Electoral Registration officer is responsible for the preparation of electoral rolls for an Assembly Constituency which itself is the roll for the Parliamentary Constituency in so far as that Assembly Segment is concerned.
24. Who appoints the Electoral Registration officer?
Under section 13B of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Election Commission of India, in consultation with the State/UT Government, appoints an Officer of the Government or the Local Authorities as the Electoral Registration Officer. In addition, the Election Commission of India also appoints one or more Assistant Electoral Registration Officers to assist the Electoral Registration Officer in the performance of his functions in the matter of preparation/revision of electoral rolls.
25. We are not able to upload our photographs on the site. Is it mandatory or would an electoral officer be visiting the home?
E-registration via www.ceoandhra.nic.in website: Uploading the photographs is strongly recommended but not mandatory while submitting the electronic version of the Form 6. Empirical evidence from our field volunteers shows that in cases where a photograph was not uploaded, the Booth Level Verification Officer collected passport photographs, while verifying the applicant's particulars at the reference address given.
26. Municipal Addresses of the apartments are not clear for many people. Is there a simpler way of including address, like say – just apartment name and flat number?
In an overwhelming number of cases, the postal address a person uses for her/his apartment is the complete municipal address also. Even in exceptional cases, it should be fine if the commonly-used postal address of an apartment is used for filling up Form 6. In any case, during data entry, the electoral authorities put in the address in their own format.
27. How do we correct a submitted voter ID application form?
There is no bar on submitting Form-6 more than once, with corrected particulars. The corrected one should/will be taken for inclusion in the electoral roll. However, if the incorrect particulars have already been entered into the latest electoral rolls, then that person has to fill in Form 8 (corrections and modifications) and submit it in the same manner.
28. What happens if a person has just entered a new home? Does it impact his right to vote?
The Right to Vote does not discriminate against a person who moved to a new place of residence. The process of entering her/his name in the voter's list, after verification of particulars, remains exactly the same.
29. Who is the follow up person to contact if no one comes home to verify details?
The website www.ceoandhra.nic.in has a menu option 'Contact Officials' on the left hand side of its homepage. A person can click on it and see the list of concerned Booth Level Verification Officers, along with their cell phone numbers. Similarly, the region-wise names and contact details of Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) are also given in the same link. They can be contacted anytime regarding to the voter registration in a particular area.
