Telangana polls: Know how to cast vote, what documents you need

Hyderabad: The Election Commission had announced State Assembly Elections 2023 for five states across the country — Mizoram, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana. Four states have concluded their polling, while Telangana’s Assembly Election is scheduled for November 30. Before going to cast your vote, here is how to check your polling booth and what documents are required for voting.

How to find polling booth

• Visit the official website of the Election Commission of India (https://eci.gov.in/).
• Click on the ‘Know your polling station and officer’ link, enter your EPIC Number, and fill in the CAPTCHA code to find your polling officers and booth.
• EPIC (Electoral Photo Identity Card) Number can be found on the voters.eci.gov.in website by providing personal details like name, gender, date of birth, assembly constituency, and district.

Documents required for voting

Voters are supposed to bring their EPIC along with them to the polling stations. Those who are not able to produce EPIC, can carry the following documents for verification purposes:

• Aadhar card
• MNGEGA job card
• Passbook (issued by bank/ post office)
• Health Insurance Smart Card
• Driving License
• Pan Card
• Smart Card (issued by Ministry of Labour)
• Passport
• Pension Document (with photo)
• Service Identity Card (issued by Central/state governments or PSUs)
• Official Identity Card (issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs)
• Unique Disability ID

Please note: Inclusion in the electoral roll and Photo Voter Slip (PVS) alone are not accepted as a standalone identification document for voting.

How to cast your vote

Visit the polling booth: On November 30, go to your assigned polling booth within the specified voting hours. Typically, polling booths are open from early morning until late evening on the designated polling day.

Verification and voting: When you reach the polling booth, queue up in the line and present your identity proof to the polling officials. They will verify your identity against the voter list and mark your finger with indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. Your signature or thumb impression will be sought on voters’ register (Form 17A).

Casting your vote: Proceed to the electronic voting machine (EVM). Follow the instructions given by the polling officer, cast your vote by pressing the button on the EVM for your chosen candidate in secrecy.

Verify your vote: Before leaving the polling booth, make sure that the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) slip shows the correct candidate’s symbol for whom you have cast your vote.

Maintain secrecy: Remember that voting is a secret process. Do not take pictures or disclose your vote to anyone once inside or outside the polling booth.