Participating in elections is among the major duties of every citizen of the country. These are organised for the general public to exercise their power in choosing the leaders and representatives of our country. A voter is allowed to implement their franchise and elect their representative. As a voter, you have a major contribution towards the future of the nation.
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Voter ID is a mandatory requirement to stand eligible to vote in any election. An eligible citizen can attain their voter ID by applying with the Election Commission. However, just receiving the voter ID is not the final step. There are other requisites you need to fulfil to cast your vote in any election. Before any election, you must register your name as a potential voter. You must check your name in the voter list or electoral roll to become truly eligible to vote.
When Does the Voter ID Enrolment Happen?
The ECI (Election Commission of India) orders to revise the names of the existing voters. It takes place every year in the month of either October or November. The updated voter list will be published in the month of January of the next year. You can apply for a voter ID card anytime of the year and also get it correct anytime. Read on to learn in-depth about how to check your name in the voter list.
Different Modes to Check Your Name in Voter List
The voters previously had to visit the local electoral or corporation office in person to ensure their name was on the electoral roll. The Election Commission of India has made the process easy by integrating online name verification into the electoral roll. Today, voters can search name in voter list conveniently.
If you have registered yourself as a voter and now wondering “how to check my name in the voter list”? You can do so by using SMS or contacting the helpline number. You can also visit and log into the official site of ECI or the voter helpline mobile application to do the voter ID search by name.
How to Check Name in Voter List via SMS?
There are numerous convenient methods through which you can check your name in the voter list. SMS (Short Message Service) is one of the easiest methods. Here is a step-by-step procedure given to check name in voter list via SMS:
- You must have a reference ID number which is given upon registering your voter ID card.
- You need an EPIC (Election Photo Identity Card) number. It is a unique 10-digit number that is reflected in a voter ID.
- Just send an SMS with this EPIC number to 1950 in the proper format. The format to send the SMS is EPIC <Space>voter ID number.
Also Read: List of Documents Required for Voter ID Card
How to Check Name in Voter List via Helpline Number?
You can call the Election Commission of India’s toll-free number to check your name in the voter list, then follow the steps given below:
- Open your phone and dial 1950.
- According to IVR (Interactive Voice Response), select your preferred language and follow the further steps accordingly.
- Choose the “Voter ID status” option.
You may need your reference number. So, it is wise to keep it with you when calling the helpline to check your voter ID status.
Importance of Checking Voter ID Card Status
Elections happen every five years in our country. So, being a responsible citizen, you must choose the right person as the representative. The Election Commission checks and maintains the voter list, and the voter ID proves one’s eligibility as a voter. The government authorises this document as ID proof. You have to show your voter ID at the time of voting at the polling booth.
It might take several weeks for your voter ID to arrive following the application procedure. In the meantime, you can check your voter ID status to confirm whether the document is under processing, in transit, or cancelled.
Reasons for a Missing Voter’s Name in the Voter List
Many instances have come up where an eligible voter becomes ineligible even after possessing a valid voter ID card. It may be primarily because their name is not on the voter list. Often, this happens because the voter has registered just before the elections. This makes it impossible to update the list timely. Also, there have been some situations when voters may have changed their constituencies or updated their voter ID details that were not reflected in the voter list timely.
Also Read: EPIC Number in Your Voter ID Card
Conclusion: The process of how to find name in voter list has become incredibly convenient nowadays—all thanks to the SMS and helpline services. You need not travel anymore to the physical office and can avoid standing in long queues. Only a few clicks and you are done with the voter name search. Now you can make the most out of these simplified methods and participate more actively in the democratic process.