A voter ID card is one of the most important documents issued by the government to its citizens. It permits the bearer to participate and vote in elections at the regional, start as well as national level, allowing the bearer to elect a representative who will govern the region, state or country respectively.
Apply for Duplicate Voter ID
Applying for a duplicate voter ID card is now a quick and convenient process. Applicants can apply for a duplicate voter’s ID card in the following situations:
- Theft of card
- Card misplaced or stolen
- If card is unusable due to wear and tear
The applicant will have to submit an application form along with supporting documents to the Electoral Officer, who will issue the card after verifying the information.
Step by Step Procedure to Obtain a Duplicate Voter ID Card
Listed below are the Steps to Follow When Applying for a Duplicate Voter ID Card:
- Visit the electoral office nearest to your place of residence and collect a copy of Form EPIC-002, which is the application form for duplicate voter ID card.
- Fill in the form with the relevant details such as name, address, voter ID card etc.
- Attach the required supporting documents and submit the form at the electoral office.
- On submission, you will receive a reference number that you can use to track the status of your application.
- Your application will be verified by the Electoral Officer and on successful verification, you will be issued with a duplicate voter’s ID card.
- You will be notified regarding your application being processed and can collect your card in person from the electoral office.
Online Process to Apply for Duplicate Voter ID Card
Applying for a duplicate voter ID card used to be a long process earlier, where you had to make multiple trips to the local electoral office to collect a form, submit it and track your application.
The Election Commission of India has now introduced an online application process for duplicate voter ID cards across all states and union territories. Now, you can apply for a duplicate card from the comfort of your home and complete all the formalities without having to visit the electoral office each time.
Process to Apply Online for a Duplicate Voter’s ID Card:
- Download a copy of Form EPIC-002 which is the application form for issue of a duplicate voter ID card from your state’s Chief Electoral Officer’s website.
- Fill in the form and attach all the required documents as mentioned in the form such as FIR copy, proof of address, and proof of identity.
- Submit the form to your local electoral office, whereupon you will be issued a reference number.
- You can track your application status on the state election office website using this number.
- Once you have submitted your form, it will be processed and verified by the electoral office.
- After successful verification, you will be notified and can go to the electoral office and collect your duplicate voter ID card.
Form for Duplicate Voter ID
The form to be submitted for the issue of a duplicate voter ID card is known as Form EPIC-002. This is the form for the issue of a photo voter ID card, and is available on the websites of the various Chief Electoral Officers for each state. The form is also available at all electoral offices across the country.
Applicants will have to provide certain details when applying for a duplicate voter’s ID card, such as their state or union territory, full name, address, date of birth, as well as the reason for applying for a duplicate card.
In case of loss or theft of voter ID card, a copy of the FIR registered at the time of the loss/theft is also to be attached, along with address proof, identity proof as well as passport sized photographs.