Is your name on voter-list? Here's how to check online
India is the largest democracy in the world where "voting" plays an important role in shaping the country's destiny. The 2019 Lok Sabha elections are approaching but before that several states are going to polls, too. It's essential to check whether you're registered to vote as voter-lists keep changing and some names could go missing. Here's how to check your name in electoral rolls.
What is an electoral roll?
An electoral roll is a list of all the eligible citizens entitled to vote in any election; voter-lists are prepared Assembly Constituency wise. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), one is entitled to vote only if their name is in the electoral roll. ECI says, "It is your (voter's) duty to find out whether your name has been registered or not."
Name in electoral roll, voter-ID required to cast vote
ECI also issues a voter identity card to eligible voters, which is required - apart from having their name on voter list - to be able to vote whether it's the Lok Sabha elections or state Assembly elections. Also, it's better to check the voter list in advance of any elections so that one can approach authorities in time if one's name is missing.
How to check online whether your name is on voter-list?
One can easily check whether one's name is in the electoral roll online; citizens need not physically visit the concerned government offices anymore. People can search for their name on the voter list simply by heading to the National Voter Services Portal's Electoral Search page. There, they can either search by the Electoral Photo ID Card (EPIC) number or by entering their details.
EPIC number is all you need to check voter list
Checking one's name on the voter-list is easy if you have the EPIC number, which can be found on the voter-ID. Citizens can visit NVSP's Electoral Search page, select "Search by EPIC No.", choose their state, and click on "Search". Their name is displayed if it's in the electoral rolls; if it's not, then it may mean that they aren't registered to vote.
What if you don't have an EPIC number?
In case one doesn't have the voter-ID or the EPIC number, one can still check whether one's name is on voter-list. They can visit NVSP's Electoral Search page, select "Search by Details", and enter the requested details like name, age, gender, Assembly constituency, etc. Results are shown after clicking on "Search". If the name isn't shown, then it probably isn't there on the voter-list.
Which of the two methods is better?
Voter-IDs usually have incorrect spellings of citizens' names; so, it's important to understand that the second option of "Search by Details" may not yield accurate results. If a name is misspelled on the card and doesn't match with any name in ECI's database, the search page may return no result or false result. It's recommended to search using the EPIC number for correct results.
