EC to deliver voter ID cards within 15 days with real-time tracking

New Delhi: Voters will now get their photo-identity cards within 15 days of updating electoral rolls.

Fast-tracking the delivery of Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), the Election Commission said it has introduced a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that ensure real-time tracking of each stage right from the EPIC generation by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) till the delivery of EPIC to the elector through the Department of Posts (DoP).

Voters will also receive notifications via SMS at each stage, keeping them informed about the status of their EPICs. The new mechanism will ensure enabling the delivery of EPICs within 15 days of an update in the electoral rolls, including new enrolment of an elector or change in any particulars of an existing elector, the EC said.

"For this purpose, ECI has introduced a dedicated IT module on its recently launched ECINet platform. The new IT platform will replace the existing process by re-engineering the current system and streamlining the workflow. The DoP’s Application Programme Interface (API) will be integrated with the ECINet for seamless delivery," it said, adding that the initiative aims to enhance service delivery while maintaining data security.

Providing prompt and efficient electoral services to all its electors is a major focus area for the EC, it said. In the past four months after Kumar took over, the Commission has taken 25 initiatives, which includes setting up additional polling booths in high rises and colonies, restricting the maximum number of voters to 1,200 in a polling booth and extending webcasting of all polling stations.

Provision of mobile deposit facility just outside the polling stations, capacity building programmes for Booth Level Agents, introduction of new integrated dashboard ECINET, resolving duplicate EPIC number and digitisation and upgradation of VTR, Index card and statistical reports are also among the initiatives.