Lok Sabha Elections 2019: The polling in 95 Lok Sabha seats across 11 states and 1 union territory has begun today in the second of seven-phased polls to elect a new government at the Centre. To cast their vote, the citizens of India need to have a verified voter identification at the time of polling to practise their voting rights. Voter’s ID or the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India and is mandatory during the document-verification process before casting a vote.

However, in case you don't have a voter's ID with you or your voter ID is stolen, there isn't much to worry. If you are an Indian citizen who has attained the age of 18 years on the first day of January of the year, then you are eligible to cast your vote in this 17th Lok Sabha election. The citizen will still be able to exercise their voting rights if they carry alternative documents - issued by the union government, state government, public limited companies - to the polling booths for establishing their identity.

The list of twelve documents are as follows:




1) Passport - A passport is a travel document that contains information like the holder's name, place and date of birth, photograph, signature, and other identifying information.

2) Driving licence - A permit given to an individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles. DL is an official document and can be used as an alternative for voting ID.

3) Service identity card of the state government or the central government - An employee to any central/state /PSUs/Public Limited Companies having service ID, then one can use it to cast the vote.

4) PAN card - Permanent Account Number is a unique ten-digit alphanumeric number, issued in the form of a laminated card, under the Indian Income Tax Department.

5) Aadhar card - An Aadhaar is a unique verifiable 12-digit identification number and photo ID issued by UIDAI to the resident of India for free of cost. One can easily use the Aadhaar card as an alternative to Voters ID on the day of polling.

6) Passbook issued by bank or post office - A passbook issued by a government bank or the post office can be used as an alternative for Voters ID 2019.

7) MGNREGA job card - The people who are employed under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has a card with a photo ID. It can be used as an alternative to Voters ID.

8) Health insurance card issued by the Ministry of Labour - This biometric-enabled smart card is issued by the Ministry of and Employment, Government of India to the beneficiaries of Rashtriya Swasthiya Bima Yojana or RSBY. This also can be used as an alternative to Voters ID on the day of polling.

9) Pension document with a photograph - Any citizen receiving a pension from the government and has a photograph attached to the pension document can be used.

10) Authenticated photo voter slip issued by the election commission

11) Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR -  National Population Register (NPR) is a database of the identities of all Indian residents. So, if you have any smart cards which have been issued by the National Population Registration (NPR) can be used to vote.

12) Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs - If you have any of the Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs. Then also you can use it as an alternative.

People are voting for all parliamentary constituencies in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Telangana. While the constituencies in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal are also going to the polls in the first phase.