Odisha Panchayat Polls: No Voter ID? Use any of these 13 docs to cast vote

Bhubaneswar: Odisha is all set to conduct the three-tier Panchayat Polls, to be held in five phases starting tomorrow.

Over 2.79 crore voters will exercise their franchise in total 91,913 wards of 6,794 Gram Panchayats across all the 30 districts. Of the total 91,913 polling booths, 13,785 have been identified as sensitive.

In first phase, polling will be held for 200 Zilla Parishad member posts in 1,669 Gram Panchayats under 71 blocks with total 726 persons in fray. Over 67.51 lakh people will cast their vote to be held at 22,379 booths, of which 3,357 have been identified as sensitive.

Polling will be held from 7 am to 1 pm.

Voters, whose names are included in the ward-wise voters’ list, will be allowed to exercise their franchise. At the time of polling, each voter is required to produce Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) or Voter ID, issued by the Election Commission of India.

If a voter does not have EPIC, he/she can use any of the 13 other documents approved by State Election Commission (SEC) to cast vote.

Here’re the 13 other documents:   

•  Aadhaar Card
• Passport
• Driving License
• Service Identity Card with Photograph issued to employees by Central State Govemment, Public Sector Undertaking. Local Bodies Public Limited Companies.
• Pass Book with Photograph issued by Bank Post office.
• PAN CARD
• Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR
• MNRGA job card
• Pension document with Photograph
• Official Identity Cards issued to MPs, MLAS
• Certificate of Disability
• Freedom Fighter Identity Card
• Any other documentary evidence establishing the identity of the voters to the satisfaction of the Presiding Officer.

The SEC has clarified that any document as enumerated above, which is available for the head of family can also be considered for the purpose of identification of other member of the family. Similarly, an identification document in the name of one member of the family can also be considered for identification of any other member of the same family, provided they are enlisted in the same household of the voters list.