Voting for the 2019 elections begins on 11 April in the world largest democratic country- India. Do you live away from home, where you are registered to vote? Then it’s unlikely that you will be able to vote unless you travel to where your vote is registered. Here’s the solution-
As per the Election commission of India, citizens are eligible to become voters under the following conditions:
– Every citizen who is 18 years old on the qualifying date (January 1 of the year in case), unless disqualified, is eligible to be enrolled.
– Enrollment only at the ordinary place of residence.
– Enrollment only at one place.
– Overseas Indian deemed to be ordinarily resident at the address given in passport.
– Service voters deemed to be ordinarily resident at their home address.
You can only be enrolled at the place of your residence, not in a different place in which you are currently staying in. You have to fill Form 8A that allows you to shift from one place of residence to another place of residence within the same constituency. The EC has said a person cannot vote from his native place just because of owning a house there and migrants have to register themselves at the place where they reside.
How to file the application?
You will have to fill the form that will include details like name, the current address of your ordinary residence where you have shifted.
The application needs to be addressed to the Electoral Registration Officer of the constituency in which transposition of the relevant entry is required.
All details to be filled and submitted to the Electoral Registration office.
The form can be obtained from the Electoral Registration Office/Assistant ERO/designated locations/authorized centers.
To apply online you can download the form from NVSP portal https://www.nvsp.in/ or from the ECI website www.eci.gov.in
After submission, the application will be verified by the electoral officer, and on successful verification, your name will be included in the new place.
How to confirm your eligibility?
You can then go to the home page of the website of the respective state CEOs and click on the tab “Check your Name in the Voter’s List” Or use SMS for checking your details Type EPIC<SPACE>Voter ID No and sent to 9211728082.
We must use our right to vote for the sake of our democracy.
