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Election Commission order directing electors to produce EPIC or a listed alternative photo identity document for identification at polling stations for the 2024 General Elections.

Detailed Summary

The Election Commission of India issued Order No. 3/4/ID/2024/SDR/VOL.I dated 19th March 2024, published via the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi notification No. CEO/COE/102(59)/2024/204 dated 20th March 2024, directing that under Sections 61 and 62 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Rule 28 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, and Rules 49H(3) and 49K(2)(b) of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 (referencing the Commission's original EPIC directive of 28th August 1993), for the 2024 General Elections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim, and bye-elections to 26 Assembly Constituencies across 13 states listed in Annexure-I (to be notified on dates including 20.03.2024, 28.03.2024, 12.04.2024, 18.04.2024, 26.04.2024, 29.04.2024 and 07.05.2024), electors must produce their Electors' Photo Identity Card (EPIC) at polling stations, or, if unavailable, one of twelve alternative documents (Aadhaar Card, MNREGA Job Card, Bank/Post Office passbook with photograph, Ministry of Labour Health Insurance Smart Card, Driving License, PAN Card, RGI/NPR Smart Card, Indian Passport, Pension document with photograph, Government/PSU Service Identity Card, MP/MLA/MLC identity card, or Unique Disability ID Card), with overseas electors registered under Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 required to identify solely via their original Indian passport; the order was issued by S.B. Joshi, Principal Secretary, and Rajesh Kumar, Special Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi.

Full Text

2148 DG/202 4 (1) रजिस्ट्री सं. डी.एल.- 33002/99 REGD. No. D. L. -33002/99 EXTRAORDINARY PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY PART II—I GOVERNMENT OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL TERRITORY OF DELHI No. 14] DELHI, WEDNESDAY , MARCH 20, 2024 /PAUSHA 30, 1945 [N. C. T. D. No. 500 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA SG-DL-E-21032024-253272 2 DELHI GAZETTE : EXTRAORDINARY PART II—I] vkns'k ls jkts'k dqekj, fo'ks"k eq[; fuokZpu vf/kdkjh] fnYyh 4 DELHI GAZETTE : EXTRAORDINARY PART II—I] OFFICE OF THE CHIEF ELECTORAL OFFICER, DELHI NOTIFICATION Delhi, the 20th March, 2024 No. CEO/COE/102(59)/2024/204 .—The following is published for general information: — ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA ORDER New Delhi, the 1 9th March, 2024 No. 3/4/ID/2024/SDR/VOL.I .—1. Whereas , Section 61 of the Repre sentation of the People Act , 1951 provides that with a view to preventing personation of electors , so as to make the right of genuine electors to vote under section 62 of that Act more effective , provisions may be made by rules under that Act for use of El ectors Photo Identity Card for electors as the means of establishing their identity at the time of polling; and 2. Whereas , Rule 28 o f the Registration of Electors Rules , 1960 , empowers the Election Commission to direct , with a view to preventing personat ion of electors and facilitating their identification at the time of poll , issue of Electors Photo Identity Card to electors bearing their photographs at State cost; and 3. Whereas, Rules 49H (3) and 49K (2) (b) of the Conduct of Elections Rules , 1961 , stipulate that where the electors of a constituency have been supplied with Electors’ Photo Identity Card under the said provisions of Rule 28 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 , the electors shall produce their Elector Photo Identity Card at the po lling station and failure or refusal on their part to produce those Elector Photo Identity Card may result in the denial of permission to vote; and 4. Whereas, a combined and harmonious reading of the aforesaid provisions of the said Act and the Rules , makes it clear that although the right to vote arises by the existence of the name in the electoral roll , it is also dependent upon the use of the Elector Photo Identity Card , where provided by the Election Commission at State cost , as the means of establish ing their identity at the time of polling and that both are to be used together; and 5. Whereas , the Election Commission made an Order on the 28th August , 1993 , directing the issue of E lectors’ Photo Identity Card (EPIC) to all electors , according to a ti me bound programme; and 6. Whereas, Electors’ Photo Identity Card have been issued to approximate 100% electors in the country , and 7. Now , therefore , after taking into account all relevant factors and the legal and factual position , the Election Commission hereby directs that for the current General Election to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha & Sikkim, 2024 and Bye -elections to 26 Assembly Constituencies in 13 States (as per Annexure -I)to be notif iedon 20.03.2024, 28.03.2024, 12.04.2024, 18.04.2024, 26.04.2024,29.04.2024, 07.05.2024 all electors who have been issued EPIC are expected to produce the EPIC for their identification at the polling stations 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: - (i) Aadhaar Card, (ii) MNREGA Job Card , (iii) Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office, (iv) HealthI nsurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour , (v) Driving License, (vi) PAN Card, (vii) Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR, (viii) Indian Passport, (ix) Pension document with photograph , (x) Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to e mployees by Central/State Govt./PSUs /Public Limited Companies, (xi) Official identity cards issued to MPs /MLAs/MLCs, and (xii) Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, M/o Social Justice &Empowerment, Government of India 8. In the case of EPIC , clerical errors, spelling mistakes , etc. 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 of another Assembly Constituency, such EP IC shall also be accepted for identification provided that 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 elect or on account of mismatch of photograph , etc. the elector shall have to produce one of the alternative photo documents mentioned in Para 7 above. 9. Not with standing any thing in Para 7 above , overseas electors who are registered in the electoral roll un der Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act , 1950, based on the particulars in their Indian Passport , shall be identified on the basis of their original passport only (and no other identity document) at the polling station. By Order, S. B.JOSH I, Principal Secy . By Order RAJESH KUMAR, Special Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi Annexure -I Sl. No. Name of State Assembly Constituency No. & Name 1. Bihar 195-Agiaon(SC) 2. Gujarat 26 - Vijapur 3. 108 - Khambhat 4. 136 - Vaghodia 5. 85 - Manavadar 6. 83 - Porbandar 7. Haryana 21-Karnal 8. Jharkhand 31- Gandey 9. Maharashtra 30 – Akola West 10. Tripura 7- Ramnagar 11. Uttar Pradesh 136 - Dadraul 12. 173 - Lucknow East 13. 292 - Gainsari 14. 403 – Duddhi (ST) 15. West Bengal 62-Bhagawangola 16. 113- Baranagar 17. Telan gana 71-Secunderabad Cantt.(SC) 18. Himachal Pradesh 18 - Dharamshala 19. 21 – Lahaul&Spiti (ST) 20. 37 - Sujanpur 21. 39 - Barsar 22. 42 - Gagret 23. 45 - Kutlehar 24. Rajasthan 165 – Bagidora (ST) 25. Karnataka 36 – Shorapur (ST) 26. Tamil Nadu 233 - Vilavancode Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi -110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi -110054.

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