In Haryana, voters will have to establish identity

With a view to preventing impersonation of electors and to make the right of genuine electors to vote more effective, the Election Commission has directed that voters have to establish their identity in the Haryana Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on February 3.

Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Urvashi Gulati said in Chandigarh on Saturday that according to an order of the commission, electors with electoral photo identity cards will have to produce the cards for proof of identity while exercising franchise.

She said those who did not have EPICs would be permitted to vote provided the established their identities by producing any of the alternative documents as prescribed by the EC, like passport, driving licence, service identity cards issued by the state or central governments, public sector undertakings, local bodies or public limited companies.

The voters could also produce kisan passbook, students' identity cards issued by recognised educational institutions or ration cards issued on or before December 31, 2004, she said.

Gulati said voters could also produce scheduled caste/scheduled tribe/other backward community certificates issued by a competent authority, pension documents such as ex-servicemen pension book, pension payment order, ex-servicemen's widow dependent certificates, old age pension order or widow pension order.