New Delhi, October 10: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced that voters whose names appear on the electoral roll can now use any one of twelve alternative photo identity documents, besides the Electors’ Photo Identity Card (EPIC), to cast their votes. The move is aimed at facilitating voter identification and preventing impersonation at polling stations.

According to the ECI, EPICs issued under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 have already covered nearly 100 percent of electors in Bihar and the eight Assembly constituencies heading for by-elections. The Commission has instructed all Chief Electoral Officers to ensure that EPICs are distributed to new voters within 15 days of the final publication of electoral rolls.

In cases where voters are unable to produce their EPIC, the ECI’s notification dated October 7, 2025, permits the use of twelve alternative identification documents. These include the Aadhaar Card, MNREGA Job Card, bank or post office passbooks with photographs, health insurance smart cards under Ministry of Labour schemes or Ayushman Bharat, driving licenses, PAN cards, smart cards issued by the Registrar General of India under NPR, Indian passports, pension documents with photographs, service identity cards issued by government or public sector employers, official identity cards of MPs, MLAs, and MLCs, and the Unique Disability ID (UDID) card.

The Commission emphasized that the inclusion of a voter’s name in the electoral roll remains a mandatory requirement for casting a vote.

Furthermore, the ECI stated that special arrangements will be made for purdanasheen women wearing burqa or purdah to ensure dignified and respectful identification at polling stations. Lady polling officers or attendants will assist such voters while maintaining privacy and decorum as per existing guidelines.

The ECI reiterated its commitment to ensuring smooth, transparent, and inclusive voting processes across the country.