JALANDHAR
Keeping in view the forthcoming parliamentary polls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has allowed the use of alternative identity cards for the voters to cast their votes.
Divulging the details, Deputy Commissioner cum District Election Officer Jalandhar Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal said that those who were not having the elector’s photo identity card (EPIC, also called voter ID card) could exercise their franchise using alternative documents including an Aadhaar card, passport, driving license or service ID cards (with the photograph) issued by central or state governments or public sector undertakings and public limited companies, the smart card issued by RGI under NPR, and official ID cards issued to Member Parliaments, MLAs and MLCs.
He said that the election commission has also allowed bank or post office passbooks with photographs, PAN cards, MGNREGA job cards, health insurance smart cards issued under the scheme of the Ministry of labour, pension documents with photographs, unique disability ID Cards can be used as identity proof. Any one-off above-mentioned ID proofs could be used along with voter information slips to be able to cast the vote. The Deputy Commissioner also appealed to use their right to franchise on the poll day which is June 1, 2024. The polling will be held between 7 am to 6 pm across all 1951 polling booths, he said. He also appealed to voter to cast their votes judiciously as ethical voting is the very basis of our democracy.