Kohima, February 27 (DIPR): The Election Commission of India, in connection with Electoral Identity cards has stated that the electors should produce their Electoral Identity Cards at the polling station and failure or refusal on their part to produce those Electoral Identity Cards may result in the denial of permission to vote. 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 Electoral Identity Card, where provided by the Election Commission at State cost, and that both are to be used together. The Commission has also stated in an order that it has taken note of the fact that over the last few years since the implementation of the programme of issue of EPICs was taken up, the election machinery of Nagaland, have issued these cards to a large number of electors and made all possible efforts, by way of repeated rounds of the constituencies and areas, with a view to issuing cards to the left-out electors.
Whereas, in the general election to the Legislative Assembly of Haryana held in January-March, 2000, and all general and by-elections held since then, the Commission had directed that all electors who were issued with EPICs should produce those cards to exercise their franchise at the said elections, and that it would permit the odd electors who have not obtained their EPICs to vote at the end elections, provided their identity is otherwise established by production of one of the alternative documents prescribed by the Commission.
Therefore, after taking into account all relevant factors and the legal and factual; position, the Election Commission has directed all electors in each of the 60 Assembly Constituencies in the current general election to the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland, notified on 9th February, 2008, who have been issued with their EPICs, shall have to produce these cards to exercise their franchise, when they come to the polling stations for voting at the current general election in the State of Nagaland.
The Election Commission will, however, permit the electors who have not been issued their EPICs to vote at the current general election, provided their identity is otherwise established by the production of any of the following alternative documents:-
1. Birth certificate/Baptismal certificate/Marriage certificate of church.
2. Job cards issued by the RD Department.
3. Student identity cards issued by Schools and Colleges (issued on or before 31-12-2007).
4. Service identity cards issued to the employees by State/Central/Public Sector undertaking and local bodies.
5. Driving license.
6. Arms license (issued on or before 31-12-2007).
7. Pension documents.
8. Ration cards issued to BPL families (issued on or before 31-12-2007).
9. Electricity/Water supply bills paid.
The Election Commission has also clarified that any document, as enumerated above, which is available only for the Head of Family, shall be allowed for the purpose of identification of other members of the family provided the other members accompany the head of the family and are identified by him/her.
