India follows the utmost caution and diligence when executing its elections to uphold its substantial system of democracy. To ensure that elections are conducted most efficiently, many initiatives have been established by the Election Commission of India, the most integral being the voter id card. The voter id card, otherwise known as the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), was first introduced in 1993 to serve as an identity proof to the adult citizens of India when they cast their vote in municipal, state, or national elections. While earlier, it was only possible to register for this card through electoral offices, the advancement of technology has made it such that you can register for voter id online.
The voter id can be obtained by individuals who are 18 years and older, are of sound mind, and have no history of being convicted for corrupt practices.
There are three categories of applicants, and the procedure for voter id online registration differs according to your group.
- General Resident Electors
- Overseas/NRI Electors
- Service Electors
Note: Service Electors are those individuals who are not living in their residence due to being posted for service or employment elsewhere. They may be members of the Armed forces (State and Central) or any other person employed outside India by the Indian Government.
Also Read: How to check NVSP Voter ID Status online @ nvsp.in
For Service Electors, voter id cards are not issued as they vote through questioned postal ballots. They only have to fill out forms 2, 2a, or 3, according to the nature of their service, to make sure that their name is on the electoral roll.
Steps for Voter Id Online Registration for General Resident Electors:
This category consists of ordinary citizens of the country who are residing in India itself.
- The first step is to visit the National Voters’ Services Portal at the link https://www.nvsp.in/and click on apply for registration of a new voter. This could be for new voters as well as voters who have shifted to another constituency.
2. You will have to fill out Form 6. You can choose the language of your choice and select your state as well as the assembly constituency.
3. After that, enter your primary details such as name, age, date of birth, place of birth, father/mother/husband’s name, address, contact information, as well as details of family members who have already enrolled for the same.
- You can then upload the supporting documents required for the online registration which includes, a recent passport-sized color photo, scanned copy of proof of residence ( Passport / Aadhar Card / Driving Licence), and scanned copy of proof of age/identity.
- Finally, enter the place and date of filling in the form and submit.
- After submission, there will be a one-week window for your way to being displayed on the notice board of the Election Registration Officer to make sure that there are no objections.
- On completion of this period, you will be able to check if your name is on the Electoral Roll on your respective state’s Chief Electoral Officer’s website. You will receive notice of the same by post or through SMS on the mobile number provided at the time of voter id online registration.
Procedure for Online Voter Id Registration for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs):
This category consists of non-resident Indians who are 18 years and above and do not possess the citizenship of any country other than India.
- As mentioned earlier, the first step is to visit the National Voters’ Services Portal at the link https://www.nvsp.in/ and register as a new user.
- Afterward, you will have to fill out Form 6A. Choose your preferred language and select the state and assembly constituency applicable to you.
3. Then enter in details, such as name, age and date of birth, place of birth, father/mother/husband’s name, residence in India, contact details, passport details, details regarding absence from India and period of absence, current residential address outside India, and current address of education/employment.
4. Upload your supporting documents, including a recent passport-sized color photo and pages from your valid passport, which features your photograph, address, and other relevant information for the online registration of voter id.
5. Enter the place and date of filling in the form and submit.
6. You will also need to send a copy of the form with self-attested documents via post to the Electoral Registration Officer of your constituency for verification.
7. Upon submission, a Booth Level Officer will verify your details with your family members residing in the country.
8. There will be a one-week window where your form will be posted on the notice board of the Electoral Registration Officer to make sure there are no objections.
9. Afterward, you can check whether your name is in the Electoral Roll on the Chief Electoral Officer’s website of your state. You will also receive notice of the same via SMS or post.
In both cases, after submission, you will receive an email on the mail address that was provided by you in the form, which will contain a link where you can track the progress of your voter id online application. Ideally, if all these procedures are followed through with precision, you will get your voter id card delivered within a month. The benefit of online registration lies in the fact that you can do it according to your suitability within the comforts of your home, rather than having to identify the nearest electoral office and do it manually. Besides, you will also get time to time updates about the status of your application. Through the voter id online registration, you obtain the voter id much faster rather than waiting for months for it to get processed. The online registration of voter id makes the lives of millions of citizens easier to exercise their right to democracy and paving the path to its brighter future.