Date: 2025-01-10Category: Not ApplicableState: Tamil NaduCountry: India
THE ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA--Order of Election Commission of India Regarding Identification of Electors During the Bye-Election to Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from 98.Erode (East) Assembly Constituency to be Held on 05Th February 2025.
**Executive Summary**
This document is a notification from the Election Commission of India regarding the identification of electors during the upcoming bye-election to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from the 98.Erode (East) Assembly Constituency, scheduled for February 5, 2025. It mandates the use of Electors Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) or approved alternative photo identification for voting, as detailed herein. The order comes into effect for the elections to be notified on January 10, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Mandatory Identification:**
* Electors must produce their EPIC at the polling station to cast their vote.
* If an elector cannot produce their EPIC, they must present one of the approved alternative photo identity documents.
* **Acceptable Alternative Photo Identity Documents:** The following documents are accepted:
* Aadhaar Card
* MNREGA job Card
* Passbooks with photograph issued by Banks/Post Office
* Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour
* Driving License
* PAN Card
* Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR
* Indian Passport
* Pension document with photograph.
* Service Identity Cards with photograph issued to employees by Central/State Govt./ PSUs/Public Limited Companies
* Official identity cards issued to MPs/ MLAs/ MLCS
* Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card, M/o Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India
* **EPIC Discrepancies:**
* Clerical errors or spelling mistakes on EPICs should be ignored if the elector's identity can still be established.
* EPICs issued by the Electoral Registration Officer of another Assembly Constituency are acceptable if the elector's name is on the electoral roll of the polling station.
* If the elector's identity cannot be established because of a mismatch of photograph, the elector will have to produce one of the alternative photo documents mentioned above.
* **Overseas Electors:**
* Overseas electors registered under Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, must be identified solely on the basis of their original Indian Passport.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact: Electors**
* Electors need to ensure they have their EPIC or an approved alternative photo identity document to vote.
**Action Required**
* Electors should locate their EPIC. If they do not have an EPIC, they need to identify and bring an acceptable alternative photo identity document to the polling station.
**Impact: Polling Officials**
* Polling officials are responsible for verifying the identity of electors using EPICs or approved alternative documents.
**Action Required**
* Polling officials must familiarize themselves with the acceptable forms of identification and the procedures for handling EPIC discrepancies.
Key Entities Referenced
Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC): A photo identification card issued to electors, used as the primary means of identification at polling stations.
Election Commission of India: The constitutional authority responsible for conducting elections in India, which issued this notification.
Representation of the People Act, 1951: Indian law that regulates the actual conduct of elections to the Parliament of India and the State Legislatures.
Tamil Nadu: Indian state where this notification applies to the Legislative Assembly bye-election in Erode (East) constituency.
Registration of Electors Rules, 1960: Rules that empower the Election Commission to issue Electors Photo Identity Cards to electors bearing their photographs at State cost to prevent personation of electors and facilitating their identification at the time of poll.