How to Vote in elections in India?

Written By Manya Khare   | Reviewed By Tesz Editorial Contributors | Updated on September 05, 2023




Elections will be held in India every 5 years. In this guide, we will brief you on how to vote for elections in India.

Eligibility Criteria to Vote for Elections in India

Following people are eligible to cast their vote.

Eligibile to cast Vote

Following people are not eligible to cast their vote.

Not Eligibile to cast Vote

How to register to vote in Elections in India?

If you are applying for Voter ID card for first time, you need to fill up Form 6.

If you want to update your address with a new address which is outside of your existing constituency, you have to use Form 6 again. This happens when you move from one city/state to another city/state

If you want to make corrections in your Voter ID card, such as corrections in your name, photo, EPIC number, address, date of birth, age, name of the relative, type of relation, Gender in the Voter ID card, you need to fill up Form 8

If you want to update your address with a new address which is within the same constituency, you have to use Form 8A

How to check your name in the Voter ID list in India?

Once you are eligible to cast your vote, you should check whether your name is there in the Voter ID list or not. There are 3 ways in which you can check your name in the Voter ID list.

  • Visiting the electoral search website. Details on how to check your name in Voter ID list is provided here.

  • Call the Voter Helpline at 1950 (with your STD code).

  • SMS space to 1950 . EPIC stands for Electors Photo Identity Card also commonly known as Voter ID card, according to the EC website. 

How to find your Polling Booth in Elections in India?

While checking your name in Voter ID list, you need to check the place where you need to go to cast your vote. This is mentioned as part number and serial number in your Voter ID card. 

Part number is the code number of the school/place where you go to cast your vote.

Serial number is your roll number in the voter list.

You can find it in the following ways.

  • Online

  • Offline

  • SMS

  • Call

Online Method

Follow the below steps to get part number and serial number from voter ID card online.

  • Visit the Voter's Service Portal.

  • Enter the State, name of person and relative's name followed by Date of Birth/Age and Gender.
  • Enter the captcha code and Click on Search button.

  • You can see the serial number and part number from there. 

Serial number and part number voter ID

You can also check the video below for information

Offline Method

You can know your part no. of electoral roll by looking into the part number on the Voter IDs of your family members or neighbors. This is because, if you live in the same area/mohalla, you will have the same part number of electoral roll. On the reverse of his/her Voter ID card, you will find multiple details like sex, date of birth, address, date, assembly, constituency no. and name and part number and name. This will be your part no of electoral roll.

SMS

SMS space to 1950 . EPIC stands for Electors Photo Identity Card also commonly known as Voter ID card, according to the EC website. 

Call

Call the Voter Helpline at 1950 (with your STD code).

How to cast your valuable Vote in Elections in India?

You can vote only if your name appears in the Voter List (also known as Electoral Roll). If your name is there in Voter list, you need to produce any of the following ID card to vote.

  • EPIC (Voter ID card)

  • Passport

  • Driving License

  • Service Identity Cards with a photograph issued to employees by Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies

  • Passbooks with photograph issued by Bank/Post Office

  • PAN Card

  • Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR

  • MNREGA Job Card (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee)

  • Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour

  • Pension document with a photograph

  • Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs

  • Aadhaar Card

Once you reach the polling booth, first polling officer checks the ID proof, second polling officer will ink your finger, give you a slip and take your signature on a register (Form 17A). You will have to deposit the slip at the third polling official and show your inked finger and then proceed to record your vote.

Voting Process

Record your vote by pressing the ballot button opposite the symbol of the candidate of your choice on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM); You will hear a beep sound

Check the slip that appears in the transparent window of the VVPAT machine. The slip with the Candidate serial No., Name and Symbol shall be visible for 7 seconds before it drops in the sealed VVPAT box

You can press NOTA, None of the Above, if you don't like any candidate; it's the last button on the EVM.

References

In creating this guide, we have referred to high-quality, credible sources such as official government orders, user manuals, and relevant materials from government websites.

  1. Electoral search website
  2. Voter's Service Portal

FAQs

What are some common queries related to Voter ID?
You can find a list of common Voter ID queries and their answer in the link below.
Voter ID queries and its answers
Where can I get my queries related to Voter ID answered for free?
Tesz is a free-to-use platform for citizens to ask government-related queries. Questions are sent to a community of experts, departments and citizens to answer. You can ask the queries here.
Ask Question
If I have a complaint against the order of Electoral Registration Officer, to whom I should make an appeal?
During the period of revision, you can file an appeal to the District Election Officer. In the case of application during the process of continuous updation, such appeal against any order of Electoral Registration Officer will lie before the District Magistrate / Additional DM / Executive Magistrate / District Collector of the District concerned. A further appeal against the order of Appellate Authority will lie before the Chief Electoral Officer of the State.
Can one be enrolled at more than one place? If I am working / residing in Delhi, can I be an elector in my native place in Uttarakhand?
No. A person cannot be enrolled as a voter at more than one place in view of the provisions contained in Sections 17 and 18 of Representation of People Act, 1950. Likewise, no person can be enrolled as an elector more than once in any electoral roll. Any person while applying for fresh enrolment, makes a statement or declaration whether his / her name is already included in the electoral roll of any other constituency, and if such statement/declaration is false and which the applicant either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, he is liable to be punished under section 31 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
When can one get registered in electoral roll. Is enrollment is on throughout the year.
The Election Commission normally orders revision of existing electoral roll every year sometime in the months of September to October and such revised rolls are finally published in first week of January of the coming year. One can submit claim application (Form 6) during period for lodging claims and objections to Electoral Registration Officer or an officer designated to receive such applications, i.e., Designated Officer. Even after final publication, the rolls are updated continuously and one can get registered anytime during the continuous updation by filing a claim application to Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer.
Who can object to the inclusion of names in electoral rolls?
Any person who is a voter in the concerned constituency may object to the inclusion of names in electoral roll on the ground that the person whose names is included or is proposed to be included is not eligible to be registered as a voter in that constituency. An objection can be made in Form 7 to the concerned Electoral Registration Officer along with the relevant proof.
Where can the list of claims and objections be seen?
It can be seen on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer of the State concerned. It also can be seen on the notice board at the office of the Electoral Registration Officer.
Where will be the notice of hearing sent by Electoral Registration Officer?
The Electoral Registration Officer will send notice at the address of applicant in the country of his current residence, as informed by him and it will be considered as due service of notice to the applicant.
If I apply on line, whether I need to send to the Electoral Registration Officer’s address, signed copy of the Form 6 along with required documents.
As soon as the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer receives Form 6 filed on line, he downloads the form along with enclosure and deputes Booth Level Officer to visit your residence to verify and obtain your original signature on the application form
Is personal appearance of applicant or hearing parties necessary? If yes, how will the hearing be conducted?
Normally, personal appearance or hearing is not necessary. On receipt of Form 6, the Electoral Registration Officer shall display a copy of the said form on his notice board inviting objections, if any, within a week period. The Electoral Registration Officer may also ask the concerned Booth Level Officer to visit the residence of the applicant and verify with him / her, relatives or the neighbours, if any, the information provided by the applicant. If Form 6 is complete in all respects and copies of all relevant documents enclosed and no person has objected within the stipulated period of one week the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer can order inclusion of name in the electoral roll after such verification by the Booth Level Officer as considered necessary. In case there is an objection to the claim in From 6 for inclusion of name, the Electoral Registration Officer / Assistant Electoral Registration Officer hears the applicant and the objector in respect of the objection raised.