Tarun Dua

Voting is your right please don't be discouraged by petty bureaucrats trying to tell you rules that don't exist

It is observed that public servants responsible for accepting Form - 6 for inclusion of voters into electoral rolls are:-

1. Demanding address proof photocopy duly attested by class I officer with proof of address being atleast 6 months prior.

As far as I could see there is no such requirement mentioned by Election Commission of India anywhere on their website.

2. Denying submission of Form 6 because they already carried out the revision of rolls.

You can and should register right upto 10 days prior to last date of filing nominations for candidates.

According to Election Commission of India Voter Guidelines

<Quote>
2. Who can vote?
All citizens of India who are 18 years of age as on 1st January of the year for which the electoral roll is prepared are entitled to be registered as a voter in the constituency where he or she ordinarily resides. Only persons who are of unsound mind and have been declared so by a competent court or disqualified due to ‘Corrupt Practices’ or offences relating to elections are not entitled to be registered in the electoral rolls.
</Quote>

It is sad that the 6 month stay rule myth is being propagated not only by the bureaucracy responsible to register the voters but also by a currently popular website sponsored by some corporate. There is no mention anywhere of any rule which says that you need to have stayed at one place for atleast 6 months on the Election Commission of India website.

There is no last date for registering yourself to vote
<Quote>
4.5 As per the law, your name can be registered upto the last date of filing nominations by candidates that has been notified by the Election Commission for any general election or bye-election to an Assembly or Parliament. To enable the Electoral Registration Officer to take action on your application, you must apply at least ten days before the last date of making nominations as he has to mandatorily invite objections by giving a seven clear days notice before including your name in the roll. If you apply later than ten clear days before the last date for nominations your name may not be included for the purposes of that particular election.
<Quote>

Complaints
File a complaint to the Election Commission of India officers normally mentioned on state election commission's website in the following escalation order.

<Quote>
14.1 If you have any grievance in regard to electoral roll, Electors Photo
Identity Card or any other election related matter you may approach following
Officers:-
Chief Electoral Officer---------------- At the State Level
District Election Officer---------------At the District Level
Returning Officer-----------------------At the Constituency Level
Assistant Returning Officer-----------At Taluka/Tahsil Level
Electoral Registration Officer---------- At the Constituency Level
Presiding Officer-----------------------At Polling Station
Zonal Officer ------------------------For a group of Poling stations
</Quote>
The last two are about grievances at the time of polling.

What can you and I do

1. Insist that the officer must accept your Form 6 with or without address and identity proof. It is only for their convenience that you attach a photocopy of your identity proof and proof of residence it is upto them to verify or deny your claim.
2. If you have doubts about honesty of the officer. Take a digital photograph of the officer to whom you submitted the form 6 for inclusion in electoral rolls. Ask for and get the receipt of your Form 6 submission duly signed and stamped.
3. Check the online publication of voter lists until your voter registration is visible.
<Quote>
As an elector you should immediately check whether your name has been included in the electoral roll of the constituency where you reside or not. You can find out this information from the Electoral Registration Officer of your area. Electoral rolls in all major cities have now been displayed on official websites also.
</Quote>
4. If nothing works, complain loudly on your blog, call up everyone from the list below at the phone numbers mentioned at the website of state election commission.

Chief Electoral Officer---------------- At the State Level
District Election Officer---------------At the District Level
Returning Officer-----------------------At the Constituency Level
Assistant Returning Officer-----------At Taluka/Tahsil Level
Electoral Registration Officer---------- At the Constituency Level

Do not hesitate to pay them a visit if they refuse to attend to you on phone. File a grievance, send out e-mails to the media/blogger contacts, tell them you have as much right to choose a representative government by voting as others in the country.

5. Most importantly spread the word, nobody is asking you to go door to door in blistering heat or travel half the city to attend a candle light vigil just talk to the people you know, over phone, e-mail or in person.