Voter ID in AP

The right to choose the body of governance through voting - this groundbreaking piece of legislation was a breakthrough in the long struggle for civil rights and a far-reaching step forward in the development of our democracy.

We call ourselves the citizens of India. But are we really considering our impudent attitude towards polling and enjoying election days because it is just another holiday? Casting your vote is not only a right but also a responsibility of the citizens.

Right to vote was one of the most significant victories of the centuries-long freedom fight. As a free and liberal nation, it is quite imperative that the citizens exercise the fundamental right of voting, and the first level to achieve that is applying to obtain a Voter ID Card if you don't own one. Though the method to get one is not drastically inconsistent from state to state, there are slight differences for each state.

Type of Election Forms Available in Andhra Pradesh

There are various election forms listed on the official website of the chief election office of Andhra Pradesh. Each form is designed for a distinct purpose. The applicant must be careful to get the correct form. The form names and their uses are given below:

• Form 6 is the application for including an individual's name in the electoral roll.

• Form 7 is the application form for deletion of a name from the electoral roll.

• Form 8 is the application form for correction/updating the details in the voter ID card.

• Form 8A is used to apply for the transposition of the name of an eligible elector in the voters' ID card.

The Chief Electoral Officer of Andhra Pradesh functions under the complete management and supervision of the Election Commission of India. It keeps a close check on the activity involving the nature of polls in the country (by-elections and general elections). This requires groundwork and constant updating of electoral rolls, issuance of voter ID cards to people, reconciling and restructuring the polling booths, training electors, executing a model code of behaviour, following the election laws and the other general instructions issued by the Election Commission.

Apply for Voter ID Card Online in Andhra Pradesh

With the application process of all national identity cards being digitized, it is much more convenient to apply for voter ID card online in Andhra Pradesh

You can follow these steps to apply online:

• Visit the website the official website of Andhra Pradesh Election Commission.

• Click on the option E-registration.

• Under E-registration, there are two options, namely - Assembly Constituency and Council Constituency.

• Select Form 6 from Assembly Constituency.

• Open Form 6 and fill out the form accurately.

• After all the details are entered click on submit and it will be sent to the Andhra Pradesh Election Commission.

• An application number is generated that can be used by the applicant to trace their voter ID application.

• Then a Booth Level Officer will tour your place to check whether every detail that you have furnished is correct or not.

• In case you need any help concerning this or have a doubt, you can dial the toll-free number 1950.

How Can You Apply for Voter ID Card Offline in Andhra Pradesh?

Even if the nation has gotten digitized, not everyone has access or even basic skills to complete the application process online. And even if they have the skills, some people prefer the slow method of applying in person. These people can still apply for a voter ID card offline in the state by contacting their nearest electoral office.

You can follow the process described below to apply for voter ID offline in Andhra Pradesh:

• Obtain the application form and other listed forms from your nearby electoral office. Form 6 (Application for insertion of name in electoral roll), Form 7 (application form for deletion of an eligible voter's name from the electoral roll), Form 8 (application form for correction of the details in voter ID card) and Form 8A (used to apply for transposition of an eligible voter’s name in the electoral roll) are the election ID card related forms. As a new applicant, you must fill up Form 6. You must also submit necessary KYC documents such as your identity proof, your age proof and residence proof. You can submit copies of your passport, driving license, Aadhar card, SSLC Book, Ration Card, rental/ lease agreement, latest utility bill or LIC Policy paper among others accordingly.

• Please remember to submit information of your family members who already own Voter ID cards. This can definitely help in rushing the procedure.

• Go to the nearest Electoral Registration Office to supply the documents. Upon verification, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) assigned by the ERO will visit your residential address to check whether all the information provided by you is correct. To give a voter ID for all listed electors, regular trips are made by the Election Commission of India (ECI) at Designated Photographic Locations (DPIs). Such drives are highly in media from time to time.

How to Trace the Status of Your Voter ID Application in Andhra Pradesh?

Tracking Voter ID Status Online

• To know the status of your application online, you can visit the Andhra Pradesh Chief Election Officer website.

• You can check your application status using your EPIC number or your Legislative Assembly.

• Enter your ID or house number and click on ‘Search’ to generate your results.

Tracing Voter ID status via SMS

To trace your Voter ID status, you can send the following SMS.

VOTE <voter ID number> to 9246280027

Contacting the Election Commission of India Helpline Number

You can call the toll-free helpline number of ECI, 1950. The helpline is reachable on all working days between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm.

Process of Correcting Voter ID Card Offline in Andhra Pradesh

As said before, online correction may not be convenient for many people for reasons such as lack of awareness, access or knowledge. But the process of updating the address offline in Andhra Pradesh is easy as well. You can visit your nearest electoral office and secure Form 8 from the counter. Fill it up correctly and submit it. You'll be required to submit the documents that justify the corrections that you wish to make in your voter ID card. For instance, if you have married recently and wish to drop your maiden name, the commission might ask you to submit a copy of your marriage certificate or an affidavit. After submission, the standard verification process will ensue. An officer from the Electoral Commission of India will be visiting your place of residence for verification of the documents provided by you, and then you can collect your new voter ID card.

Process of Updating the Address Online in Voter ID in Andhra Pradesh

There are various reasons why someone might wish to change the address in their voter ID Card. Your address might have been misspelled, or you might have moved to a different location within the state. To ensure that the address is updated, you must submit Form 8 to the Electoral Office. The process is not as complicated as before primarily due to the online services provided by the Election Commission.

If you have married and moved to a different location, you might wish to change the address listed on your voter ID. To complete the procedure of changing the address, you'll be required to provide your marriage certificate as proof along with the address proof. Students are requested to submit a declaration signed by the head of the institution/school so that their address can be updated to the hostel address/rental house address. If the company or government office that you work for transfer you to a different place, and you wish to update the new address on your voter ID card, you will be required to give a declaration signed by the senior-most official in your department in terms of position. The approval for such applications doesn't take long if the documents provided are valid.

You can follow these simple steps described below to change your address:

• Log in to the Chief Electoral Officer's website of Andhra Pradesh using your credentials.

• Click on 'Electoral Services'.

• Select 'Change of Address'.

• A form will be displayed on the screen.

• Enter your EPIC Number.

• If you don't remember your EPIC Number, then you can click Don't Know EPIC and provide the details like your district and constituency and your EPIC will be traced by the system.

• Enter the old and current address on the form and click on 'Agree to the Declaration.'

• After self-verification of the application, click on Submit.

• After the ECI verifies your documents, you'll be receiving your updated voter ID card.

The Process of Updating the Address Offline in Voter ID in Andhra Pradesh

You can also update your address offline. The offline method for updating address on your voter ID includes obtaining the form from the nearest electoral office, filling it up and submitting it.

The procedure for submitting the form for change in address of voter ID in Andhra Pradesh is described below:

• Fill up Form 8A correctly and sign on it. It is explicitly designed for change in address.

• Submit the application form along with a copy of all the necessary documents in the nearest Electoral Office.

• The Election Commission verifies your details and a new voter ID card is issued to you in a few days.

Andhra Pradesh Election Commission

The APEC or Andhra Pradesh Election commission came into existence in September 1994 in accordance with the Articles 243K and 243ZA of Indian Constitution. The ECAP or Election Commission of Andhra Pradesh is accountable for the supervision, training the electoral officers and updating the electoral rolls for the smooth conduct of elections to municipal committees and panchayats. The Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission (APSEC) is by the state election commissioner who is appointed by the governor of the state. The election commission of Andhra Pradesh doesn't have any junior officers across different districts of the state. It is essential to know that the Election commission of Andhra Pradesh is an independent department and it cannot be considered as a department under the control of the government of Andhra Pradesh. However, the funds required for the administration and functioning of the state election commission are provided by the Andhra Pradesh state government under the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.

Key responsibilities of Election Commission of Andhra Pradesh:

The critical duties of Andhra Pradesh Election Commission are listed below:

• Enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) till the elections are over to ensure that the elections are conducted smoothly.

• Hold free and fair elections in all the rural and urban local bodies such as the municipalities, municipal corporations and Nagar Panchayats in the State.

• Conduct elections in Zilla Praja Parishad, Gram Panchayats, and Mandal Praja Parishads across the districts and villages in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

• Supervision and controlling the preparation of electoral rolls of various local bodies.

• Registering political parties and allowing election symbols for the local bodies' elections.

• Preparing and updating handbooks and guidelines for candidates who are contesting for elections, presiding officers and returning officers for the benefit of the officials and voters.