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 Assam

There are various election forms listed on the official website of the chief election office of Assam. 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 Assam 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 Assam

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

You can follow these steps to apply online:

• Visit the website the official website of Assam 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 Assam 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 Assam?

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 Assam:

• 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 Assam?

Tracking Voter ID Status Online

The state CEO website of Assam currently doesn't have the feature to track the application status for voter ID. However, the applicants can check whether their names are included in the electoral roll through the official website of NVSP or National Voters' Services Portal. You can use your name and EPIC Number to search whether your name is included in the electoral roll or not.

Search By Details: You'll be required to provide your father/spouse's name, date of birth, gender, state, district and assembly constituency. The applicants can also locate their constituency on the map.

Search by EPIC Number: You will be required to provide your EPIC Number and name of the State to search by using the EPIC Number.

Tracing Voter ID status via SMS

This feature is not available at the moment.

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 Assam

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 Assam 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 Assam

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 Assam 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 Assam

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 Assam 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.

Procedure to Apply for Duplicate Voter ID Card Online in Assam

There are situations when the voter ID card is misplaced or lost. In such situations, there is an urgent need for generating a duplicate voter ID card. The state election commission of Assam makes a provision for issuing a duplicate voter ID card.

Procedure for applying for a duplicate voter ID card has been explained below:

• Visit the Election Commission of India website.

• Download form EPIC-002.

• If the voter ID card has been lost or stolen, then you will be required to submit the FIR along with the application form.

• If the individuals have torn or unusable voter ID card, they can submit the card along with the application form to the nearest Electoral Office.

• After the application has been verified, you will be receiving the duplicate voter ID card on your address through post or you may collect the voter ID from the electoral office.

Apply for Duplicate Voter ID Card in Assam Offline

Voter ID card is the most important document. It not only allows people to vote in local, state and national elections but also serves as a proof of identity and address.

You can apply for another voter ID card through offline mode if your card has been stolen or lost by following this simple procedure:

• Visit the nearest electoral office and collect a copy of Form EPIC-002.

• Fill up the form and submit it to the nearest electoral office with all the relevant documents. If you have misplaced or lost your voter ID card, then you also need to submit a copy of the FIR as well.

• If your card is torn, then you must send the card along with the application form.

• The electoral office verifies the details and a new voter ID card is issued.

Election Commission of Assam

The state election commission of Assam conducts Assam Elections and the procedure takes place under the supervision of the ECI. The main election office is located in Block C, Assam Secretariat, Dispur.

Key responsibilities of the Chief Election Officer

Some of the critical responsibilities of the Chief Electoral Officer to the legislative assembly of Assam are listed below:

• Preparation and updation of electoral photo roll

• Updating the database of BLO

• Finalizing the list of vendors

• Ensuring that adequate training is provided to the officers and BLOs

• Meeting political parties on the revision of rolls

• Filling up of election-related posts

• Creating awareness on the revision of rolls

• Providing all the required information to the ECI

• Maintaining proper record of complaints received in DEOs

• Ensuring efficient accounting of holograms

• Ensuring removal of duplicated names

• Ensure arrival of observers in the state

• Reporting absence of polling agents

• Preparing the list of polling stations

• Establishing a media center in the office

• Preparing a database of polling personnel in all districts across the state

• Ensuring standardization of training material

• Ensuring replacement of EVMs

• Ensuring proper disposal of unused ballot papers