What is the time allotted for voting?
- From 07:00 AM to 06:00 PM in general in all constituencies
- From 07:00 AM to 05:00 PM in the North Eastern Region
- From 07:00 AM to 04:00 PM in Manipur & Nagaland
- From 07:00 AM to 04:00 PM in some other constituencies
- You can find out the poll hours for your constituency from the website of the Election Commission www.eci.nic.in
- The Commission has also instructed the CEOs/DEOs to give wide publicity regarding the same in their states/districts.
Where do I go to cast my vote?
- You can find out the name and address of your polling station from the Photo Voters slip issued to you by the Election Office
- You can also find this out from the website of the Election Commission of India ( www.eci.nic.in ):
- Locations of most polling stations in the country have been plotted on maps
- You need to click on the tab ‘Polling Station Maps’ on the ECI website
- You would then see the names of the States/UTs for which maps of polling stations are available
- If maps are available for your state/UT, you can:
- Select your State/UT
- Select District, Assembly Constituency and Polling Station names from drop down lists
- Click a button to see Polling Station Locations of the selected area on the map viewer on the page.
- Polling Station Locations are seen as Pins dropped on the map for each Polling Station.
- On clicking on the Pin, a balloon opens up showing the names and cell phone numbers of the Chief Electoral Officer, District Election Officer, Electoral Registration Officer and Booth Level Officer
- There is also a link provided for Electoral Rolls. On clicking this link, Electoral Roll for that Polling Station opens up in PDF format and can be saved by the user on his local computer and also printed from the local computer.
What is the step-by step process to vote
The process is as follows
Stage 0: Reaching the Polling Station
- You must carry your Voter ID, Photo Voter Slip or another alternative photo document as required for identifying yourself at the polling station
- It is advisable to leave your mobile phone at home
- If you take a private vehicle to reach the polling station, you should park the vehicle at a reasonable distance – usually more than 200 meters – away from the polling station
- When you reach the polling station, the entry will be regulated by queues
- There will be separate queues for men and women voters and for physically handicapped persons
- At a time, 3 – 4 voters will be allowed into the polling station
- Physically handicapped voters and women voters with babies in arm will be given precedence over other voters in the queue
Stage 1: Establishment of your Identity
- You should first go to the First Polling Officer who is in charge of the marked copy of the electoral roll and responsible for identification of voters.
- You should keep your identity document ready to show to the First Polling Officer.
- You can also show to him/her the unofficial identity slip giving your particulars. However, you should remember that the unofficial identity slip only helps in locating your name in the electoral roll; it is not a guarantee of your identification.
- Your name and serial number will then be called out by the First Polling Officer so that the polling agents become aware of your presence and your identity is not challenged.
Stage 2: Marking of indelible ink, obtaining your signature or thumb impression & Issue of signed Voter’s slip(s)
- If your identity is not challenged, you should proceed to the Second Polling Officer
- He/she will mark your left forefinger with the indelible ink.
- He/she will then proceed to record your serial number in the electoral roll in the Register of Voters.
- Once this is recorded, you should sign in the appropriate column in the Register of Voters.
- If you cannot sign, your thumb impression will be obtained.
- Now, in case of election to only Lok Sabha: The Second Polling Officer will give you a signed voter’s slip.
- In case of simultaneous elections to both Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly: The Third Polling Officer, who will be sharing the table with the Second Polling Officer, will give you two identical voter’s slips – one on white paper and the other on pink paper. He will then direct you to the Fourth Polling Officer.
- The voter’s slip(s) will record your serial number in the register of voters and your serial number in the electoral roll.
Stage 3: Activation of Ballot Unit for the Lok Sabha Election
- You should then proceed to the Third Polling Officer (in case of election to only Lok Sabha) or Fourth Polling Officer (in case of simultaneous elections).
- He will take the voter’s slip for Lok Sabha election issued to you by the Second Polling Officer (in case of election to only Lok Sabha) or Third Polling Officer (in case of simultaneous elections).
- He will then press the “Ballot” button on the Control Unit of voting machine for the Lok Sabha Election, thus activating the Ballot Unit in the voting compartment for the Lok Sabha election.
- He/she will then direct you to the voting compartment for the Lok Sabha election.
Stage 4: Casting your vote on the Ballot Unit for the Lok Sabha Election
- You should then record your vote on the ballot unit of the voting machine for the Lok Sabha election.
- You should remember that each voter will proceed to the voting compartment in exactly the same sequence in which his/her serial number is recorded in the voters’ register.
- In case of election to only Lok Sabha: The voting procedure ends here. You should then leave the polling station and clear way for other voters.
- In case of simultaneous elections, proceed to Stage 5.
Stage 5: Activation of Ballot Unit for the Assembly Election
- After casting your vote for the Lok Sabha election, you should proceed to the Fifth Polling Officer.
- He will take the voter’s slip for Assembly Election issued to you by the Third Polling Officer.
- He will then press the “Ballot” button on the Control Unit of voting machine for the Assembly Election, thus activating the Ballot Unit in the voting compartment for the Assembly election.
- He/she will then direct you to the voting compartment for the Assembly election.
Stage 6: Casting your vote on the Ballot Unit for the Assembly Election
- You should then record your vote on the ballot unit of the voting machine for the Assembly election
- The voting procedure ends here. You should then leave the polling station and clear way for other voters.
A small video to quickly understand the voting process.
Things to Remember while Inside the Voting Compartment
- You should press the blue candidate button on the Balloting Unit against the name and symbol of the candidate of your choice.
- You may also press the new None of the Above (NOTA) button at the end of the unit if you don’t want to vote for any candidate
- You should press the button only once.
- When you press the blue button, you should watch out for:
- The red lamp glowing against the name and symbol of your candidate
- The beep sound to indicate that your vote has been recorded
- Simultaneously, the busy lamp in the Control Unit will go off.
- With this, your vote is cast.
What if someone else has cast the vote in my name?
- The First Polling Officer may tell you on arrival inside the polling station that your vote has already been cast
- If this happens, you should inform this to the Presiding Officer immediately
- The law allows you to cast a Tendered Vote
- A Tendered Ballot Paper, as per Rule 49P of the Conduct of Elections Rules, will be given to you
- If you choose to vote, you will be required to:
- sign your name on the list of tendered votes
- mark your choice of candidate with the help of Arrow Cross Mark rubber stamp on the ballot paper given to you
- hand over the tendered ballot paper to the Presiding Officer
- In this case, you will not cast your vote on the EVM
- A Tendered Ballot Paper is the same as the ballot paper displayed on the balloting unit, except that it shall be endorsed on the back, with the words, “Tendered Ballot Paper” either stamped by the Returning or written by the Presiding Officer in hand at the time of issuing it.
Source : PIB
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