Frequantly Asked Questions

1. Q 21 I do not have a ration card. Can I get enrolled without a ration card? What are the other documents, which I can show as proof of my residence?
   
   Answer: Ration Card is not necessary, however, you can show any other proof of residence like Passport, Bank Pass Book, Driving license etc. or any Govt. document to facilitate the work of registration.
2. Q 22 I am a tenant and my landlord does not want me to get enrolled. How can I get enrolled as a voter?
   
   Answer: To get enrolled in the voter list is your statutory right. Please check the Electoral roll of your area at ERO/AERO office. If your name is not included please fill up Form 6 and submit it to the ERO.
3. Q 23 I have attained / will be attaining the age of 18. What proof do I need to show to get enrolled?
   
   Answer: You can submit the proof of Date of Birth from the authorized agency (Passport, Matric certificate, Date of Birth certificate etc.)
4. Q 24 How do I ensure that my name is finally included in the electoral rolls?
   
   Answer: You can check your name in the draft roll, which will be published and available at the office of the ERO concerned to confirm that your name exists in the roll.
5. Q 25 I have lost my Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC). How can I get a new EPIC?
   
   Answer: You may submit an application in white paper along with a fee of Rs. 25/-, to the Electoral Registration Officer in charge of you area, with copy/details of the lost EPIC.
6. Q 26 Who is responsible for the preparation of electoral rolls for a Parliamentary or Assembly Constituency?
   
   Answer: The Electoral Registration officer (ERO) is responsible for the preparation of electoral rolls for an Assembly Constituency which itself is the roll for the Parliamentary Constituency in so far as that Assembly Segment is concerned.
7. Q 27 Who appoints the Electoral Registration officer?
   
   Answer: Under section 13B of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Election Commission of India, in consultation with the State/UT Government, appoints an Officer of the Government or the Local Authorities as the Electoral Registration Officer. In addition, the Election Commission of India also appoints one or more Assistant Electoral Registration Officers to assist the Electoral Registration Officer in the performance of his functions in the matter of preparation/revision of electoral rolls.
8. Q 28 Who is responsible for the conduct of elections in any Parliamentary or Assembly constituency?
   
   Answer: The Returning Officer (RO) of a parliamentary or assembly constituency is responsible for the conduct of elections in the parliamentary or assembly constituency concerned as per section 21 of the Representation of the People Act 1951.
9. Q 29 Who appoints the Returning Officer?
   
   Answer: The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an officer of the Government or a local authority as the Returning Officer for each of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies in consultation with the State Government/Union Territory Administration. In addition, the Election Commission of India also appoints one or more Assistant Returning Officers for each of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies to assist the Returning Officer in the performance of his functions in connection with the conduct of elections.
10. Q 30 Who is eligible to be registered as a voter?
11. Ans. Every Indian citizen who has attained the age of 18 years on the qualifying date i.e. first of January of the year of revision of electoral roll, unless otherwise disqualified, is eligible to be registered as a voter in the roll of the part/polling area of the constituency where he is ordinarily resident.
12. Q 31 Can a non-resident Indian citizen become a voter?
13. Ans. Yes, according to the provisions of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 2010, a person who is a citizen of India and who has not acquired the citizenship of any other country and is otherwise eligible to be registered as a voter and who is absenting from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to his employment, education or otherwise is eligible to be registered as a voter in the constituency in which his place of residence in India as mentioned in his passport is located.
14. Q 32 Can one be enrolled at more than one place?
15. Ans. No. A person cannot be enrolled as a voter in more than one place in view of the provisions contained under Section 17 and 18 of R.P. Act, 1950. Likewise, no person can be enrolled as an elector more than once in any electoral roll.
16. Q 33 How can an overseas Indian get registered/enrolled in the Electoral Roll?
17. Ans. He/she has to file the application for the purpose in prescribed Form 6A before the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of the constituency within which the place of ordinary residence of the applicant in India as given in his/her valid passport falls. The application can be presented in person before the ERO or sent by post addressed to the ERO concerned. If the application is sent by post it must be accompanied by a self attested copy of the passport and all relevant documents mentioned in Form.
18. Q 34 From where, Form 6A can be obtained?
19. Ans. It can be downloaded from the website of Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala. Form 6A is also available free of cost in Indian Missions in foreign countries and in the offices of EROs in India.
20. Q 35 From where the postal address of the ERO concerned can be obtained?
21. Ans. Postal addresses of all EROs are available on the website of Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala. They can also be obtained from Indian Missions in Foreign countries.
22. Q 36 What documents are required to be enclosed with Form 6A?
23. Ans. One recent passport size coloured photograph, Photocopy of relevant pages of the passport of the applicant containing his/her photograph and all other particulars and self attested photocopy of the pages of passport containing the valid visa.
24. Q 37 What other formalities are required to be fulfilled at the time of filing claim application?
25. Ans. If, the application is sent by post, the photo-copy of the documents referred to in the answer to question 36 above should be enclosed. If the application is submitted in person before the ERO, the original passport should be produced for verification.
26. Q 38 Where can the list of claims and objections be seen?
27. Ans. It can be seen on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala. It also can be seen on the notice board of the ERO.
28. Q 39 Is personal appearance of applicant or hearing parties necessary? If yes, how will the hearing be conducted?
29. Ans. Normally personal appearance or hearing is not necessary. If all necessary documents are enclosed with the application, the ERO can include the name in the Electoral Roll after the statutory notice period of seven days is over.
    Application in form 6A can be sent by post. However if an applicant wishes to submit his application in person to the ERO, he can do so along with the original passport, which shall be returned to him after due verification and attestation of the documents by the ERO. (In case there is an objection to the claim of inclusion of name, the ERO may designate an officer fom the Mission concerned to hear the parties who will send a report to the ERO for final disposal.)
30. Q 40 Who is competent to verify claim applications and objections?
31. Ans. The ERO is the competent authority to verify claim applications and the accompanying documents and also consider objections, if any.
32. Q 41 How will an overseas Indian know that his/her name is included in the electoral roll?
33. Ans. The decision of the ERO will be communicated to the applicant by post on his address in the foreign country given by him in form 6A and also by SMS on the mobile number given by him in form 6A. Electoral Rolls are also available on the website of the Chief Electoral Officer, Kerala, in PDF format and can be seen by anybody.
34. Q 42 Where are names of overseas electors included in the electoral roll?
35. Ans. Names of overseas electors are included in the relevant part of the electoral roll of the constituency where his place of residence in India as mentioned in his passport is located. Within that the relevant part a separate section for "Overseas Electors" is created in the roll and names of overseas electors are kept in this section.
36. Q 43 How can corrections be made if there are some mistakes in the entries in the electoral roll pertaining to overseas electors?
37. Ans. For correction of mistakes in Electoral Rolls, an application in Form-8 is to be submitted to the ERO concerned.
38. Q 44 Can anybody object to the inclusion of names in electoral rolls?
39. Ans. Any person who is a voter in the concerned constituency may object to the inclusion of names in electoral roll on the ground that the person whose names is included or is proposed to be included is not eligible to be registered as a voter in that constituency. An objection can be made in Form 7 to the concerned ERO along with the relevant proof.
40. Q 45 Whether ERO is to be informed when the overseas elector returns to India and becomes ordinarily resident in India?
41. Ans. Yes. In such a case the person can then be registered as a general elector at the place where he is ordinarily resident in India.
42. Q 46 How can an overseas elector whose name is enrolled in the electoral roll exercise his/her franchise?
43. Ans. After enrolment, an overseas elector will be able to cast his vote in an election in the Constituency, in person, at the polling station provided for the part where he is registered as an overseas elector, subject to the production of his original passport.
44. Q 47 I have shifted my residence recently to Kerala from another State where I was registered as a voter. I have an EPIC card issued from the previous place of residence. How can I get a new EPIC card at the present address and what am I to do with the old EPIC?
45. Ans. Please get enrolled in the electoral roll in the new place by submitting application in Form6 with proof of present residence, along with old EPIC, to the ERO of the Assembly constituency where you now reside.