Voter ID Registration (Form 6) in India

Step-by-Step

1. 1

   Confirm eligibility and constituency of ordinary residence

   1. (Applicant) Confirm Indian citizenship, age 18 or above on 1 January of the year in which the electoral roll is prepared or revised, and ordinary residence at the address you will declare.
   2. (Applicant) Confirm that you are not already on the electoral roll of any other constituency and are not otherwise disqualified under Section 16 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
   3. (Applicant) Identify your Assembly Constituency from your residential address — the Voters' Services Portal derives this automatically from the PIN code.

   💡 Tip: Section 19 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 sets two cumulative conditions: not less than 18 years of age on the qualifying date, and ordinarily resident in the constituency. The qualifying date is defined in Section 14(b) as the first day of January of the year in which the roll is prepared or revised.

2. 2

   Gather supporting documents and a photograph

   1. (Applicant) Obtain one recent passport-sized colour photograph.
   2. (Applicant) Pick one residence-proof document from the accepted list.
   3. (Applicant) If you are under 21 on the qualifying date, pick one age-proof document. From 21 onwards, the declaration of age on Form 6 itself is sufficient.
   4. (Applicant) Self-attest the photocopies of all documents.
3. 3

   Choose a filing route and submit Form 6

   1. (Applicant) Online registration via voters.eci.gov.in: sign up with your mobile number, verify by OTP, select 'New registration for general electors' (Form 6), fill the form online, upload the photograph and documents, and note the reference number returned by the portal.
   2. (Applicant) Voter Helpline mobile app: download the official Voter Helpline app (publisher: Election Commission of India), authenticate by mobile OTP, then choose 'Voter Registration' and 'New Voter Registration (Form 6)'.
   3. (Applicant) In-person filing at the Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer office: submit two copies of the printed Form 6 with self-attested supporting documents. Paper Form 6 is available free of cost at the ERO, AERO, and BLO.
   4. (Applicant) Through your Booth Level Officer: during Special Summary Revision drives (typically October to December each year) and during continuous updation, the BLO collects Form 6 at door-to-door visits or polling-station camps.

   ⚠️ Watch out: Filing Form 6 in two constituencies, or filing twice in the same constituency, is an offence under Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. A false declaration on Form 6 is punishable under Section 31 with imprisonment for up to one year, a fine, or both.

   Voters' Services Portal — Election Commission of India (voters.eci.gov.in ↗) Election Commission of India — main portal (eci.gov.in ↗)
4. 4

   Decide whether to provide Aadhaar (voluntary)

   1. (Applicant) The Aadhaar field on Form 6 is collected under Section 23(4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 for the purpose of authentication of electoral-roll entries.
   2. (Applicant) Providing Aadhaar (see Aadhaar update guide) is voluntary; non-submission cannot be the ground for rejecting Form 6.
   3. (Applicant) If you choose not to provide Aadhaar, supply one of the alternative residence-proof documents listed in the documents section instead.

   💡 Tip: Section 23(6) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 expressly bars denial of inclusion in the electoral roll, and bars deletion from the roll, on the ground of failure to furnish Aadhaar. Where Aadhaar cannot be furnished, the elector is required to give one of the alternative documents listed in the Rules.

5. 5

   Booth Level Officer field verification

   1. (BLO — Booth Level Officer) The Booth Level Officer assigned to your polling-station area visits the declared address, typically within about 15 days of submission.
   2. (BLO) The BLO verifies that you ordinarily reside at the address, that the photograph on the form matches, and that the supporting documents match.
   3. (BLO) For homeless applicants, the BLO conducts a night visit and verifies that the applicant actually sleeps at the declared place; documentary proof of residence is not required in that case.
   4. (BLO) The BLO records the verification result and forwards the application to the Electoral Registration Officer.
6. 6

   Electoral Registration Officer scrutiny and decision

   1. (ERO — Electoral Registration Officer) The ERO reviews the BLO's verification report and the application, publishes the application in the list of claims for the constituency, and considers any objections received during the statutory window.
   2. (ERO) If satisfied, the ERO directs inclusion of the applicant's name on the electoral roll under Section 23 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
   3. (ERO) If the applicant was previously on another constituency's roll, the ERO of the new constituency informs the ERO of the previous constituency, who strikes off the prior entry.
7. 7

   EPIC generation and Speed Post despatch

   1. (ECI) Once the name is added to the roll, ECI generates a 10-character alphanumeric EPIC number.
   2. (ECI) The physical Elector's Photo Identity Card (laminated, with photograph) is printed and despatched by India Post Speed Post to the registered address, with ECI's fast-track target of within 15 days of approval.
   3. (Applicant) Track application status at voters.eci.gov.in or via the Voter Helpline mobile app using the reference number issued at submission. Statuses progress through Submitted, Under BLO verification, Approved by ERO, EPIC generated, and EPIC dispatched.
8. 8

   Download e-EPIC

   1. (Applicant) Once the EPIC number is generated, download the e-EPIC — a PDF copy of the EPIC — from voters.eci.gov.in using the EPIC number and mobile OTP.
   2. (Applicant) The e-EPIC has the same legal validity as the physical card.
   3. (Applicant) Need help? Call the Voter Helpline 1950 (toll-free within India) or use the Voter Helpline mobile app.
   Voters' Services Portal — e-EPIC download (voters.eci.gov.in ↗)