What Should You Do If Your Name Isnt On The Voter

Introduction

Voting is a crucial part of any democracy and India is no exception to that. Before a general election and state election eligible citizens have to check if their name is included in the latest electoral rolls. Voter lists keep changing in the country and sometimes it means that your name could be missing from the electoral rolls.

The voter list, also known as the electoral roll, is a compiled comprehensive list, that includes the names and other details of voters in a particular constituency. The Election Commission of India periodically publishes a refreshed voter's list on their official website.

If you want to vote in any election, whether it’s the Parliamentary elections or state elections, you need to have a voter identity card issued by the Election Commission of India and your name should be on the electoral rolls. Just having a voter ID is not enough for you to cast your vote whether you’re in Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal, Telangana, Maharashtra, or any other state in India. That’s why it’s very important to check if your name is on the voter list well in advance of the elections.

How to check if my Name is on the voter list?

Follow these steps to check if your name is on the electoral rolls in India.

1. Go to the National Voter Services Portal’s (NVSP) Electoral Search page.
2. Here you can search for your name on the voter list by two methods — manually entering all of your details or simply by entering your Electoral Photo ID Card (EPIC) number. The EPIC number is mentioned in bold letters on your voter identity card.

If you have the EPIC number mentioned on your voter ID, go through these steps to check if your name is on the voter list.

1. Visit the NVSP Electoral Search page.
2. Click or tap on Search by EPIC No.
3. Enter your EPIC number, select the state from the drop-down menu, and key in the code you see on the image. Then click or tap Search.
4. If your name is on electoral rolls, you will be able to see it below the Search button. If nothing shows up, there’s a good chance that your name is not on the voter list.

In case you don’t have your voter identity card with you and thereby don’t have your EPIC number, these steps should help you check if your name is on the voter list.

1. Visit the NVSP Electoral Search page.
2. Click or tap on Search by Details.
3. Key in all details including your name, gender, age, Assembly constituency, etc. as described on the page. Then enter the code you see on the captcha image, and finally, click or tap on Search.
4. If you see a result in the area below the Search button, that means your name is on the voter list. If not, then it’s probably not there.

Reasons for Names Missing from the Voters List

There could be various reasons why the names of registered voters are missing from the list of voters eligible to vote in an election. Some of the possible reasons are mentioned below and the steps to be taken to get your name back on the electoral list are:

• If you have moved to a new address within the constituency from which you are eligible as a voter to vote in an election, you need to either visit the website nic.gov.in and download Form 8A or visit the office of Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO). The forms are available free of cost in these offices.
• If you have moved to a different constituency from which you were earlier eligible to vote in an election, you need to fill Form 6. It can also be downloaded from the website nic.gov.in or can be obtained from the office of Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO).
• If the voter wants to delete his or her name from the electoral list, Form 7 is to be downloaded or obtained from the ERO and AERO offices.
• There might be a situation in which the wrong name has been mentioned in the voters' list rendering you incapable of voting. To correct any wrong information about yourself that might be present with the election commission, Form 8 is to be filled.

Process for Registering a Name in The Electoral Roll

The steps to follow for online application form filling and registering the name on the voters' list are:

The procedure for filling and submitting the form offline are:

• Download the form depending upon your situation either from the election commission website or get it from the ERO office.
• Fill the form with the correct details and attach the relevant documents to be submitted with it.
• Address it to the voter’s centre of the constituency.

The procedure for submitting the form in person are:

• Download the form depending upon your situation either from the election commission website and take a print out of it or obtain it from the ERO office.
• Fill the form with the correct details and attach the relevant documents to be submitted with it.
• Submit the completed form to your voter’s centre of the constituency or the BLO.

FAQs

End Note

One of the most common problems that the registered voters have been facing during most election cycles is the voters' list missing their names. This is despite being registered as a voter by the election commission. It renders thousands of voters incapable of voting in elections despite having the right to vote. Read the tips and points mentioned above to ensure that you are well prepared much before any upcoming elections.