There are 3 categories of electors in India:
(i) General electors   (ii) Overseas (NRI) electors   (iii) Service Electors.

The applicant must be:
(i) An Indian citizen
(ii) 18 years or more of age with reference to the qualifying date
(iii) An ordinary resident of the area concerned.

Following the amendment to Section 14(b) of the Representation of the People Act 1950, there are now four qualifying dates: 1st January, 1st April, 1st July, and 1st October. Any eligible citizen who turns 18 on any of these dates may submit an advance application in Form-6 for registration. The application will be processed in the relevant quarter when the applicant attains age 18.

Advance claims received during Annual Summary Revision and after final publication will be disposed of by EROs in the first month of the subsequent quarter, under continuous updation.

The Annual Summary Revision is conducted with reference to 1st January of the year in which the roll is finally published. During a non-election year, no regular revision activities exist for subsequent qualifying dates. During a year when a general election to a State Assembly or House of the People is due, a second Summary Revision may be conducted. Advance applications for subsequent qualifying dates can still be filed and will be processed under continuous updation.

No. A person who is not a citizen of India is not eligible for registration. Those who have ceased to be Indian citizens by acquiring citizenship of another country are also not eligible to be enrolled.

Yes. Under Section 20A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, a citizen of India who has not acquired citizenship of any other country and is absent from their ordinary residence in India owing to employment, education, or otherwise, may be registered as a voter in the constituency where their Indian residence is mentioned in their passport.

Apply in Form 6 (Form 6A for overseas Indians) before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) / AERO of the constituency where you ordinarily reside. You may submit the application:
• In person at the ERO/AERO office
• By post
• Through the Booth Level Officer (BLO)
• Online via the NVSP portal / Voter Helpline App or the CEO’s website / ECI website (upload copies of documents when applying online).

Forms can be downloaded from the Election Commission of India website (eci.gov.in). They are also available free of charge at the offices of Electoral Registration Officers, AEROs, and Booth Level Officers.

• One recent passport-size colour photograph affixed in Form 6
• Photocopy of documentary proof of Date of Birth
• Photocopy of documentary proof of Residence
(The list of acceptable documents is given in Form 6 itself and its guidelines.)

No. Aadhaar is a purely voluntary field. Non-submission of Aadhaar details is not grounds for rejection of the application. However, applicants are encouraged to furnish it voluntarily to assist in purification of the electoral roll.

A student may register either at their native place (with parents) or at the hostel/mess address where they reside for study (for courses of at least 1 year, recognised by Central/State Governments/Boards/Universities). To register at the hostel, attach a bonafide certificate from the Head of the institution (as per Annexure II of Form 6 guidelines) with Form 6.

The Booth Level Officer (BLO) will visit the address given in Form 6 at night (on more than one night) to verify the person actually sleeps there. If verified to the ERO’s satisfaction, no documentary proof of residence is required and enrolment proceeds.

Getting enrolled in the voter list is your statutory right. Check the electoral roll on the ECI website / CEO’s website. If your name is absent, fill Form 6 and submit it to the ERO, AERO, or BLO. Your landlord’s consent is not required.

Addresses of all EROs are available on the ECI website (eci.gov.in) and on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer of the respective State/UT.

No. Once the ERO/AERO receives your Form 6 filed online, a BLO will be deputed to visit your residence for verification. No separate physical copy needs to be posted.

The list can be seen on the Chief Electoral Officer’s website for the concerned State, and also on the notice board at the ERO’s office.

The ERO’s decision will be communicated by post (to the address in Form 6) and by SMS (to the mobile number in Form 6). Electoral rolls are also publicly available on the CEO’s website.

Submit an application in Form 8 to the Electoral Registration Officer concerned.

Fill Form 8 (for transposition/shifting of residence) and submit it to the ERO of the Assembly Constituency where your new address is located.

First ensure you are enrolled in the electoral roll for your new address (via Form 8). The ERO will then issue a new EPIC with the same number reflecting the updated address.

Apply in Form 8 for rectification. The ERO will issue a new EPIC with the same number after making the necessary corrections.

Submit Form 8 for a replacement EPIC along with a copy of the FIR / Police Report for the lost card.

Any registered voter of the concerned constituency may object, using Form 7, to the ERO with relevant proof, on grounds that the person whose name is included or proposed is not eligible to be registered in that constituency.

Apply in Form 7 for deletion of a shifted, dead, or absentee elector, and also for deletion of a duplicate entry.

The ECI normally orders annual revision (September–October), with final publication in the first week of January. Applications (Form 6) can be filed during the claims & objections period. Even after final publication, rolls are continuously updated and one can apply for registration at any time by filing Form 6 to the ERO/AERO.

No. Sections 17 and 18 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 prohibit registration at more than one place. Making a false declaration to that effect is punishable under Section 31 of the same Act.

• During revision period: Appeal to the District Election Officer.
• During continuous updation: Appeal to the District Magistrate / Additional DM / Executive Magistrate / District Collector.
• Further appeal: To the Chief Electoral Officer of the State.

An Indian citizen who has not acquired citizenship of another country, is otherwise eligible to vote, and is absent from their ordinary Indian residence due to employment, education, or other reasons. They are registered in the constituency where their Indian address appears in their passport. Under Section 20A of the RP Act 1950, such a person can become an elector in India.

File an application in Form 6A before the ERO/AERO of the constituency in India as mentioned in the passport. The application can be submitted in person, by post, or online via the NVSP portal / Voter Helpline App / CEO’s website / ECI website.

• One recent passport-size colour photograph
• Self-attested copy of the relevant passport pages (photograph, Indian address, personal details)
• Page of passport containing the valid visa endorsement

The name is included in a separate “Overseas Electors” section, which forms the last section of the roll of the relevant part/polling station area in the constituency.

Yes. It is the responsibility of the overseas elector to keep the ERO informed of any change in their residential address abroad.

Yes, they must inform the ERO. They can then be re-registered as a general elector at their place of ordinary residence in India.

An overseas elector can vote only in person at the designated polling station for the part where they are registered.

No. An overseas elector is not issued an EPIC. They vote by presenting their original passport at the polling station.

Yes. The EPIC must be surrendered along with the submission of Form 6A.

A voter with a service qualification under Section 20(8) of the RP Act 1950:
(a) Member of Armed Forces of the Union
(b) Member of a force to which the Army Act 1950 applies
(c) Member of an Armed Police Force of a State, serving outside that State
(d) Person employed under the Government of India on a post outside India

• Armed Forces members → Form 2
• Armed Police Force members serving outside their State → Form 2A
• Government of India employees posted outside India → Form 3
(If opting to register as a general elector at the place of posting, use Form 6 like any other general elector.)

The ECI annually announces revision for service voters and communicates to the Ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, and External Affairs. Eligible personnel fill Form 2/2A/3 and hand it to their Record Office / Commanding Officer (or nodal authority in the Ministry of External Affairs). All activities are handled online through the dedicated service voters portal. The officer forwards verified forms to the ERO for enrolment.

The spouse of a service voter who ordinarily resides with them can be registered as a service voter based on a declaration in Form 2/2A/3 — no separate application needed. However, sons, daughters, relatives, or servants residing with the service voter cannot be enrolled as service voters.

No. A person can only be enrolled at one place at a time (Sections 17 & 18, RP Act 1950). A service voter must choose either to register as a service voter at their native place or as a general elector at the place of posting.

A service voter belonging to the Armed Forces (or forces under the Army Act 1950) who opts to vote through a proxy voter (instead of a postal ballot) is called a Classified Service Voter (CSV).

A proxy is a person appointed by a CSV to vote on their behalf using Form 13F. The proxy must be an ordinary resident of the constituency (need not be a registered voter, but must not be disqualified from registration).

If at place of posting: Service voter signs Form 13F before the Commanding Officer; proxy signs before a Notary / First Class Magistrate; proxy then submits to the Returning Officer.
If at native place: Both sign Form 13F before a Notary / First Class Magistrate and send to the Returning Officer.

No. A CSV cannot receive postal ballots. The appointed proxy must physically attend the polling station to cast the vote.

A proxy remains valid as long as the appointer is a service voter. Once appointed, it continues until revoked. A CSV can revoke and change the proxy at any time using Form 13G, and can also revert to the postal ballot route. Revocation takes effect from the date it is received by the Returning Officer.

The application must reach the Returning Officer before the last date of filing of nomination papers. Applications received after that date will not apply to the election in progress but will be valid for subsequent elections unless revoked or changed.

The last part of the roll containing service voters is prepared in English only.

No. Service voters are not issued EPICs as they vote through postal ballots or a proxy — they are not required to visit polling stations in person.

No. The Returning Officer will automatically send a postal ballot paper to the service voter through their Record Office (or through the Ministry of External Affairs for those posted outside India).

For Local Authorities Constituencies: there is no qualifying date.
For Graduates’ and Teachers’ Constituencies: the qualifying date is 1st November of the year in which the preparation or revision of electoral rolls commences.

• Local Authorities Constituencies: Only ex-officio and nominated members of Local Authorities are eligible. Apply in Form 17 to the ERO.
• Graduates’ Constituency: Apply in Form 18 to the ERO/AERO where you ordinarily reside.
• Teachers’ Constituency: Apply in Form 19 to the ERO/AERO where you ordinarily reside.

Download from the ECI website (eci.gov.in) or collect free of charge from the offices of EROs / AEROs.

Graduates’ Constituency: Must be an ordinary resident of the constituency and must have been a graduate of an Indian university (or equivalent) for at least three years before the qualifying date (1st November).

Teachers’ Constituency: Must be an ordinary resident of the constituency and must have been engaged in teaching in a State Government-notified educational institution (not lower than secondary school standard) for at least three years within the six years preceding the qualifying date (1st November).

Any one of the following:
(i) Original degree/diploma certificate or an authenticated copy
(ii) A certificate/entry from Government or Statutory records specifying the degree held, attested by the Head of Office
(iii) Attested copy of registration as Registered Graduate, Roll of Advocates, Register of Medical Practitioners, Register of Chartered Accountants, Register of Engineers, etc.
(iv) An affidavit by the claimant supported by a certificate from a University Registrar/Principal/Head of Department
(v) Original or authenticated mark sheet issued by the University/Institution

Documentary proof showing teaching engagement for at least three years within the preceding six years is required. A certificate from the Head of the teaching institution is normally considered adequate. If the applicant taught at more than one institution during those six years, a certificate from each institution for the relevant period is required.