CHENNAI: Gone are the days when voters waited for months to get their electoral photo identity card (EPIC) issued. The digital voter’s identity card, launched earlier this month by the Election Commission, allows voters to download EPIC online. In the first phase, the facility will be enabled for about 21.39 lakh voters in Tamil Nadu, whose names are enrolled in the final voters list.
The new voters’ names, included in Special Summary Revision, 2021, conducted between November 16 and December 15 last year, have been linked with their mobile number at the time of registration. Hence, they can download their EPIC online through National Voters Service Portal, https://www.nvsp.in/. For others, the facility will be enabled soon, said official sources.
A 20-year-old college student from Korattur said, “I was always told that getting an EPIC is a matter of luck. I am excited that I got my voters’ ID while my siblings whose names were registered in the list two years ago are yet to get theirs. I also took a colour photocopy of the digital card and laminated it so that it looks like the original one.”
However, many voters expressed apprehensions on whether the digital card would be valid at the time of voting. “It’s still not clear whether the printed card will be accepted. Can it be shown as proof for other purposes as well?” asked a 35-year-old bank employee from Virugambakkam. Allaying concerns, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told Express, “The downloaded EPIC is as valid as the original card.” Officials said that the ECI has also taken a host of measures to ease the card-issuing procedure.
“Keeping in mind that new voters need their EPIC number for downloading it online, text alerts are sent to their registered mobile number along with the newly-generated EPIC number, as soon as the application is approved,” said a Corporation official. The official added that works to issue original EPIC to new voters is underway. “In case they do not receive the new card, the printed EPIC can be used for casting votes,” explained the official.
How to download e-EPIC
◆ Register in https://www.nvsp.in/ with mobile number and e-mail id
◆ Create user id and Password
◆ Log in the nvsp.in
◆ Chose Download e-EPIC
◆ Enter EPIC number or reference number and select the State