Photo voter slip must be supported by ID proof for voting: EC

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Photo voter slip shall not be accepted as a stand-alone identification document for voting in the Lok Sabha elections and by-elections to Assemblies, to be held simultaneously this year, said the Election Commission of India (ECI) in an order, here on Thursday.

However, Photo voter slips will continue to be prepared and issued as part of the awareness building exercise, the order said.

"This slip will not be accepted for the purpose of identification in polling stations. You are required to carry EPIC (election photo identity card) or one of the 11 alternate documents specified by the commission for voting," it said.

So far, the Commission has allowed only the photo voter slip as document for identification.

The Commission on Thursday said voters who are not able to produce EPIC, shall produce one of the 11 alternative photo identity documents that include passport, driving licence and service identity cards with photograph issued to employees by central and state governments, public sector units and public limited companies.

The other documents, include passbooks with photograph issued by bank and post office, PAN card, Aadhaar card, smart card issued by Registrar General and Census Commission of India under the National Population Register, MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) job card, health insurance smart card issued under the scheme of Ministry of labour, pension document with photograph, official identity cards issued to MPs, MLAs and MLCs.

An EPIC issued by the Electoral Registration Officer of another assembly constituency shall also be accepted for identification, the order said.