Citizens Above 17 Years Can Register For Voter ID In Advance - Check Details

The electoral roll will be updated every quarter and eligible youngsters will be registered in the next quarter of the year in which they have attained the qualifying age of 18 years.

17 years old or above can now apply in advance and no longer have to wait for the prerequisite criterion of attaining the age of 18 years.(Image Source: PTI)

New Delhi: The Election Commission is making it easier for youngsters to participate in the voting process by providing four chances in a year to citizens above 17 years to enrol their names in the voter list. According to an IANS report, those who are above 17 years of age (but not yet 18) can now apply in advance and no longer have to wait for the pre-requisite criterion of attaining the age of 18 on January 1 of a year.

The Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, have directed CEOs/EROs/AEROs of all states to work out tech-enabled solutions so that the youth can file advance applications for three additional qualifying dates which are April 1, July 1 and October 1 besides January 1.

Youngsters above 17 years of age can now apply in advance for having their names enrolled in Voter’s list and not necessarily have to await the pre-requisite criterion of attaining the age of 18 years on 1st January of a year: ECI pic.twitter.com/DhAi7NN1Zo

— ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2022

According to IANS,  the Electoral Roll will be updated every quarter and eligible youngsters can be registered in the next quarter of the year in which they have attained the qualifying age of 18 years. Once they are registered, they will be issued an Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), said the Commission.

ECI said that for the current round of annual revision of electoral roll, 2023, any citizen attaining the age of 18 years by April 1, July 1 and October 1 of 2023 can also submit an advance application for registration as a voter from the date of draft publication of electoral roll.

This comes after ECI’s recommendations to the Ministry of Law and Justice, which led to the amendment of RP Act.