The Karnataka Assembly Elections are fast approaching and if you’re a voter in the state and intend to exercise your franchise, you should first check if your name is on the voters list. This especially since several glitches have been reported in the electoral roll.
If your name is not on the electoral roll or if you are registering for the first time, don’t worry - you have time until April 14 to do so.
Here’s what you need to do:
If you are a registered voter in Karnataka and want to check if your name is on the electoral roll, click here.
Presently, the electoral roll is available only in Kannada except for voters in Bengaluru and KGF, where the voters list is available in English as well.
You will need to know your booth name or booth number to check whether your name is on the voter list.
In the field district, select the name of the district registered in your voter’s identity card. Since there is a possibility that your name may be spelt incorrectly, in the field ‘Name’, you have to type only the first three letters of your name. The same goes for the field ‘Relation Name’.
In the field Assembly Constituency, select the appropriate one and hit submit. Once you get several records, check if your name is on the page. If your name does not appear on the list then you need to register once again.
If your name is not on the electoral roll or if you are registering to vote for the first time, click here.
You will first have to create an ID. You can do this by entering your email address. A confirmation email will be sent to your email along with your password.
Next you need to click on ‘I want to enrol as a voter’
Be sure to keep a scanned copy of your passport size photograph, address proof and identity proof ready.
These documents have to be uploaded. Next you need to fill Form 6 and submit it online. Be sure to print the acknowledgement that you receive upon submission. This printed copy has to be submitted to your nearest Election Registration Office.
In case you need to modify details in your registration form, you need to fill Form 8 and Form 8A if you need to change your place of voting.
Citizen initiatives to help you register to vote
Since the voter turnout in successive state elections has always remained low in Bengaluru, several citizen groups have started initiatives to encourage voters to register.
In the 2008 Assembly polls, the voter turnout was 47.22% while it marginally improved to 58.27% for the 2013 elections. According to Election Commission officials, a large number of people have not enrolled to vote.
If you are unable to register by yourself, these groups will help you.
Bengaluru Political Action Committee (B.PAC) has started – One Million New Votes campaign, where they are encouraging voters to register.
B.PAC has also set up a portal where voters can easily check if their names appear in the electoral rolls. Click here.
B.PAC’s initiative is being carried out by 45 civic leaders across Bengaluru. The leaders are carrying out voter registrations in their respective wards and are covering educational institutions, residential complexes and tech campuses. Bangalore Apartments’ Federation (BAF) is also supporting the initiative by carrying out voter registration drives in apartments complexes across the city.
Whitefield Rising, a citizens’ group in Bengaluru is also encouraging new voters to register. The group has provided detailed instructions on its website for new voters to register.
Similarly, United Bengaluru, an umbrella organisation of several citizen activist organisations has also started a campaign – Reclaiming Bengaluru, where new voters are being encouraged to vote. Citizens can give a missed call to 9206056010. You will get an automated response, which takes you to the website that details ways to register or tells you how to update information with the ECI.