What is Digital Voter ID Card?

Digital voter ID card is the electronic form of EPIC or Elector’s Photo Identity Card. This would make the voter ID card available on people’s phone. It can be downloaded through OTP authentication. This will help the Election Commission cut costs need for printing and distribution of the hard copies. Currently, EPIC is available only as a hard copy and has to be produced by the voters on voting day.

How can a Voter avail Digital Voter ID card?

A voter has to provide his or her mobile number to the Election Commission machinery at the time of applying for enrolment in the voters list. After the name of the voter is included in the electoral roll, he or she will be intimated through email or SMS. The new voter card can then be downloaded through OTP authentication. The existing voters can also avail the facility by providing their phone number and e-mail ID.

Why a Digital Voter ID?

The Digital Voter ID will help the Election Commission to save costs on printing and distributing the hard copy of EPIC.  Also, having the voter card on phones will do away with the necessity of producing a voter’s slip on the day of voting.

About the Digital Voter Card

The Digital Voter Card will not be different from its physical form. The Digital Voter Card will carry a QR code that will carry details such as name, address and date of birth of the voter. The Digital Voter Card and its issuance is still a proposal. It needs to be approved by the Election Commission. In other words, it needs to be approved by the Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and the Election Commissioners Rajiv Kumar and Sushil Chandra.

The Digital Voter Card might come up for consideration in 2021 elections. The states such as Assam, Kerala, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are to enter assembly elections early summer 2021.

Month: Current Affairs - December, 2020