Lok Sabha Election 2019 Phase 5: How to vote without voter ID, check polling booth details

The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019 has begun today at 7:00 am. Voting is underway across 51 constituencies in seven states. The states where voters would be casting their ballots are Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Jammu and Kashmir.  Whether you are a first-time voter or not, there are a few things to must keep in mind when you head to the polling booth. You must check if your name is on the voter list, without which you will not be able to cast your vote.

However, as a voter, how do you cast your vote without a Voter ID card? Here's how:

The Election Commission has allowed registered voters, citizens who don't have a Voter ID card but have their names on the voters' list, to cast votes by showing any other photo identity proofs. The list of ID proofs that are accepted by the Election Commission of India are:

• PAN card
• Aadhaar card
• Passport
• Driving License
• Service photo ID Cards issued to Central/State Govt./PSUs/Public Limited Companies's employees
• Bank/Post Office's Passbooks with attested photograph
• Smart Card issued by RGI under NPR
• Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MNREGA) Job Card
• Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour
• Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs
• Pension document with a photograph

How to check if an elector's name is on voter list by SMS

• Send an SMS to 1950 in the given format-ECI EPIC No- to check if citizen's name is on the polling list.

  (EPIC stands for Electors Photo Identity Card, in other words, Voter ID card)

Example- If voter's EPIC No is 12345678, SMS ECI 12345678 to 1950

How to find your registered polling booth

• Electors can call the helpline number '1950' after adding their respective STD codes to check their polling station.
• Voters can visit National Voters' Service Portal's website and enter details like name, DOB, Father's/Husband's name, local consistency to find their polling booth.
• Election Commission of India has also set up a voter helpline app for helping registered voters to check their polling station.
• Voters can also send an SMS to 1950 in the format- ECIPS *space* EPIC No- for polling booth's location.

Example- If voter's EPIC No is 12345678, SMS ECIPS 12345678 to 1950

Lok Sabha election 2019 for 542 parliamentary constituencies is being conducted in seven phases across the country. Polling for the first phase of the parliamentary elections took place on April 11. The final voting for the seventh phase will conclude on May 19 and the results will be announced on May 23.

Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2019: Poll dates, full schedule, voting FAQs, election results, constituencies' details

Also read: Lok Sabha Election 2019 LIVE updates: Phase 5 voting begins in 7 states