Imphal, April 08 2009: In order to prevent impersonation of voters and facilitate identification of voters, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed all electors in each of the 60 Assembly Constituencies in the current General Election-2009 to 15th Lok Sabha, who have been issued Electors' Identity Cards (EPICs), to produce the said card for identification to exercise their franchise, informed a pres s release of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manipur.

However, the Commission permitted electors who have not been issued EPICs to vote provided their identity could be established by the production of any alternative documents that were issued by the state or central government or those that included in the list, the release added.

These includes i) Passports, ii) Driving licences, iii) Income tax identity (PAN) cards, iv) Service identity cards issued to its employments by state/central government, public sector undertakings, local bodies or public limited companies with photographs, v) Passbooks issued by the Public sector banks/post office and Kisan passbooks with photographs (accounts opened upto 28-02-2009), vi) Property documents such as Pattas, registered deeds, etc.

with photographs, vii) SC/ST/OBC certificates issued by competent authority with photographs (issued upto 28-02-2009), viii) Pension documents such as ex-servicemen's pension book/pension payment order, ex-servicemen's widow/dependent certificates, old age pension order, widow pension order with photographs (issued upto 28-02-2009), ix) Freedom fighter identity cards with photographs, x) Arms licenses (issued upto 28-02-2009), xi) Certificates of physical handicap issued by competent authority (upto 28-02-2009), xii) Job cards issued under the NREGA (issued upto 28-02-2009), xii) Health insurance scheme smart cards (Ministry of labour, issued upto 28-02-2009) .

handicap with photograph issued by the competent authority (issued upto 28-02-2009), xii) Job cards issued under the NREGA with photographs (issued upto 28-02-2009), xii) Health insurance scheme smart cards with photographs (Ministry of labour's scheme, issued upto 28-02-2009) .

The press release of the CEO, Manipur also informed the Commission has clarified that any documents enumerated above, if available with the head of the family shall be allowed for the purpose of identification of other members of the family provided all members come together and are identified by the head of the family.

And with the elections drawing closer by the day, the CEO also requested the representatives of the political parties, contesting candidates and the electors to extend full cooperation for the successful conduct of the 15th Lok Sabha elections.

Elections in Manipur are scheduled for April 16 for the Outer Manipur Parliamentary while the Inner is all set to go for polls on April 22 .

Comment