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A Comprehensive Guide to India's Election Commission ID

TeamAckoOct 17, 2023

As an Indian citizen, you can start voting when you become 18 by applying for the Election Commission Identity Card. This card is also known as the Voter's ID. It's easy and fast to apply for, and get an Election Commission ID card when you turn 18. When you apply to become an Indian Voter, you will get an Election Commission ID. This will have a special number called the EPIC Number, or Electoral Photo Identity Card Number, which is a 10 digit code that has letters and numbers and is printed on the front of the Election Commission ID.

Ready to apply for your Election Commission ID? This article explores what an Election Commission ID in India is, who is eligible, and how to apply for it.

Contents

What Is An Election Commission ID?
Who Can Get an Election Commission ID?
Categories Of Voters In India
Documents Required For Election Commission ID
How To Apply For Election Commission ID
Migrating From Old Election Commission ID To New Election Commission ID
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is An Election Commission ID?

The Election Commission ID is the voter identification card, or voter ID card, issued by the Indian Election Commission. Citizens can use it as proof of ID and also as evidence that they can vote in Indian state and government elections. Indian adults over 18 years old can apply for the Election Commission ID, also known as EPIC or Elector's Photo Identity Card.

Find out more about the Election Commission ID in this article. We will also explore how to get the Election Commission ID and who is eligible for it.

Who Can Get an Election Commission ID?

You need to fulfil certain criterias in order to be able to apply for the Election Commission ID. Although the eligibility criteria may vary by your state, these are the requirements:

Be an Indian citizen
Be at least 18 years old
Not be disqualified from voting due to specific legal reasons (e.g., criminal convictions, electoral fraud).

Check with your state Election Commission ID for more details about eligibility.

Categories Of Voters In India

The Chief Electoral Office notes that there are 3ain categories of voters in India.

(i) General Electors - citizens and laypeople
(ii) Oversees (NRI) electors - Indian citizens who live overseas and can cast a proxy vote
(iii) Service Electors - government employees and officials

Documents Required For Election Commission ID

In order to apply for an Election Commission ID, you need to furnish the electoral office with certain documents. Although document requirements vary by state, the following documents are necessary for the Election Commission ID in all Indian states. These documents serve as proof of identity, address, and age, ensuring the authenticity and Voting eligibility of the applicant.

Color Passport Size Photographs

The potential voter should submit colour photographs for the identification part of their Election Commission ID.

Proof of Address

These are some documents to submit for Election Commission ID which serve as proof of address

Bank/Kisan/Post Office passbooks
Ration Card
Driver's Licence
Indian Passport
Income Tax Return filed/Assessment Order
Rental Agreement
Current utilities bill such as
- Water/Telephone/Electricity/Gas Connection Bill
Indian postal service post that have been received or delivered under the person's name at the address mentioned on the post

Proof of Age

To prove that the person is 18 years or older, they need to supply age proof documents such as:

AADHAAR Card
PAN Card
Driver's Licence
Indian Passport
10/11/12 grade marksheets
Birth Certificate
Birth document given by municipal authorities
Document of registrar of births & deaths
Baptism certificate from church

Identity Proof

Current documents with proof of identity (photo and name) sanctioned by the government need to be turned in as well.

Applicants for Election Commission ID can submit photocopies of:

PAN card
Driver's licence
Ration card
Passport copy
Bank passbook with photo
SSLC certificate
School or college student ID card
AADHAAR card

How To Apply For Election Commission ID

To obtain an Election Commission ID, Indian citizens have to apply online or at the Election Commission office. They will need to submit documents including proof of identity, proof of address, and follow the simple and straightforward step by step process.

Check Your Eligibility (Skip If You Know Your Age Eligibility)

If you're 18 or will be 18 in the voting season, you can check your age eligibility in this portal:

https://electoralsearch.in/

Register For Election Commission ID Online

If you are not a government employee nor NRI, go ahead and fill out Form 6 on the Election Commission online portal. This Form 6 is for 'First time voters' and 'voters who have shifted to another constituency'.

If you are an NRI Voter, you will need to fill out form 6A.

Need to change your EPIC card details? Then fill out Form 8 to update any changes in your Name, Photo, Age, EPIC Number, Address, Date of birth, Age, Name of relative, Type of relation, Gender.

If you're moving addresses within the same constituency, you should fill out Form 8A.

Register For Election Commission ID Offline

Not going to register online? You can register for the Election Commission ID offline, in person.

You will need to fill out TWO copies of Form 6. These Form 6 documents are available for free at the Electoral Registration Officers/Assistant Electoral Registration Officers and Booth Level Officers offices in cities, towns, and panchayat.

Turn in the application with photocopies of the required documents (link to required documents section) in person. You need to submit all of these at your local Electoral Registration Officer/Assistant Electoral Registration Officer offices. You can also send these by post to the above mentioned individuals or turn it in at the Election Commission booths.

Migrating From Old Election Commission ID To New Election Commission ID

If you have an older Election Commission ID card, you can migrate to a new one. Use this step by step guide with the steps you should follow to change your Voter ID card number (EPIC Number) in your current Voter ID card.

Go to the National Voter Service Website

In the website, navigate to the application for change of Election Commission ID number and choose Form - 8. This form is used to make corrections in the Indian electoral roll cards.

Enter EPIC Card Details

Fill in location details such as your State, District, Assembly/Parliamentary Constituency.
Add your name and last name. You need to enter your name in English and your state's language, as your Election Commission ID will have both languages stated.
Fill in the number and serial number section.
Put in details of your current Election Commission ID (EPIC) number.

Update Number

Select what needs to be updated in Your Election Commission ID. Since you want to update the details, select "Elector's Photo Identity Card Number (if issued)".
Enter the updated EPIC number.
Attest that all information is correct and true in the declaration section.

Wait For Election Commission ID Update

Now you will receive an email with a link that lets you track your voter ID application status. It may take around 30 days for your application to be processed and for a voter ID to be issued.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below are some of the frequently asked questions on All About The Election Commission ID

Who is eligible for Election Commission ID?

Indian citizens over 18 years old can apply for the Election Commission ID.

What are the types of voters?

Voters may be citizens who are lay people, NRIs, overseas Indians, and government employees.

Is Voter's ID and Election Commission ID the same?

Yes, it's known by different names such as Election Commission ID, Voter's ID, etc but they are all the same card.

Disclaimer: The content on this page is generic and shared only for informational and explanatory purposes. It is based on several secondary sources on the internet, and is subject to changes.