Kerala residents can still add their name to voters’ list: Here’s how

The people of Kerala who have still not enrolled their names in the voters’ list have time till March 25 to do so, ahead of the polling on April 23, in the third phase of elections for the 17th Lok Sabha.

The 20 seats in the state which will go to polls will witness a triangular contest between the Left Democratic Front (LDF), the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

TNM caught up with an official of the Chief Electoral Office in Kerala who explained how an individual can register their name in the voters’ list.

How to register to vote?

• The person can visit www.nvsp.in, which is the website for the National Voter Service Portal, where the individual can register online as a new voter.
• New voters must fill Form-6 in order to register themselves as voters. The form is available on the NVSP portal. Voters can also change their constituency from one place (for example, Alappuzha) to another constituency in another place (for example, Thiruvananthapuram) using Form-6.
• You will need a passport sized photo and proof of age and residence.
• People can also add their names to the voters’ list by visiting any of the Akshaya Centres or Taluk offices in their district.

The official at the electoral office made it clear that only Form-6 is available from Monday onwards. It is through Form-6 that you can register as a new voter or change your constituencies.

“When you visit the website, you will get to see various forms such as Form-6, Form-6A, Form-7, Form-8, Form-8A. Aprt form 6, the other forms were used for various purposes like deletion, or making changes in the electoral roll, correction of entries in the electoral roll and so on, which is not possible now,” the official added.

The last date to avail this facility is March 25.

In order to clarify doubts and help voters regarding the upcoming elections, various help-knowledge centres have been set up in the district of Thiruvananthapuram. These centres have been set up at the Collectorate in Kudappanakunnu and the six taluk offices in the district.

Citizens can also avail these services through the phone by dialling 1950, which is the toll free number of the Chief Electoral Office, Kerala.

What is an electoral roll?

An electoral roll is a list of names prepared by the Election Commission of India. This includes the names of all people, aged 18 years and above, who have voter ID cards. Basically, all the people who will be able to vote for the upcoming elections.

If your already have a voter ID card, then ideally, your name should appear on the electoral roll. However, sometimes this is not the case – many people have realised only when they reach the polling booth that their name is not on the electoral roll, despite the fact that they have a voter ID. Hence, it is crucial to check if your name appears on the voter list ahead of the polls.