Distribution of voter I-Ds an uphill task

The Election Commission (EC) mandated brand new smart Elector Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) will be making their debut in the forthcoming general elections. But, poll personnel are finding it difficult to distribute it to the voters concerned because of lack of proper house numbers and even more so, due to the numbers not being painted on the doors/walls.

“D-day is approaching and we are facing problems in distributing not only the smart photo elector identity cards but also the photo-voters slips to citizens as house/door numbers are not properly displayed on the houses,” complain senior officials, drafted for election duty and not wanting to be identified.

Ironically, the house numbering and mandatory display of door numbers on the properties has to be taken care by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), the civic body entrusted with the task of conducting elections in the district for 15 Assembly and two Parliament constituencies.

Another issue is the prospect of facing several locked doors as both husband and wife could be going out to work. “This is a common issue faced in any urban area. It means repeated visits by our field staff to hand over the voters’ slips,” they explain.

Voters’ slips with photos assume significance since the EC has clarified that these could be considered as virtual identity cards during the time of polling the vote, it is pointed out.

The smart EPICs with colour photographs of the electors are for now being issued only to the freshly enrolled names in the last few months for free. “The EC has given the job to a Bangalore based agency and as a pilot scheme we are distributing cards to voters freshly enrolled themselves online in the capital since these are going to be their maiden voter identity cards,” explained senior officials.

More than four lakh people got enrolled the district with 80 per cent doing it online while the rest have physically submitted form six for inclusion of names in the elector rolls with photos. Meeseva centres will, in the meantime, continue to issue voter identity cards but the old flexible ones on payment of a nominal fee.