The Lok Sabha elections are just around the bend, with polling in Phase 1 beginning April 11. If you haven't already registered to vote, this is your last chance to get cracking on the procedure.
So here's what you have to do to register yourself to vote in this election.
Requirements for registering to vote in India
Before you even apply to be put on the electoral roll, you need to make sure you qualify. You have to be an Indian citizen of course, but you probably knew that. You also need to have turned 18 before January 1 this year. Thirdly, you also need to be a resident of the constituency where you're registering, and not disqualified for any other reason (like being found guilty of a crime).
What you need to register to vote
When registering to vote, there are a few things you need to keep handy. To register online, you'll need to have digital scans of a passport-sized photo, age proof like a birth certificate or PAN card, as well as proof of address.
Deadlines for registering to vote
There's also a deadline to register yourself on the electoral roll, which is three weeks before the polling dates as follows:
Phase 1 - 11th Apr
Phase 2 - 18th April
Phase 3 - 23rd April
Phase 4 - 29th April
Phase 5 - 6th May
Phase 6 - 12th May
Phase 7 - 19th May
For those of you in Phase based on your constituency, that means you have exactly a week left. That might already be too late to complete the process, but that shouldn't stop you from trying if you're not yet registered.
How to register online for Voter ID
The first you need to do to apply online is visit the website of the National Voter's Service Portal here. Once it's open, click on the option reading "Apply online for registration of new voter/due to shifting from AC". This will pop up a digital version of the Form 6 application in a new tab. For those of you registering from residences outside India, instead click on the Apply online for registration of overseas voter"" option. This will open up Form 6A for you.
Both forms open up in Hindi, so select your language of choice from the top right as needed. Unfortunately, you're only other choices are English and Malayalam.
Wait for it...
Sadly, just filling up the form isn't enough to be registered. After your submission, you'll need to wait a week while the relevant Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) verifies your identity and any conflicting registrations you might have made. After that, your name will be included in the electoral roll and you'll receive an SMS notification on the phone number you provided in the form.
How will I know status of my voter ID application?
To check the status of your application after filing, simply go to the tracking page here and input your reference ID. If it shows that your paperwork has been processed you should already be on the electoral roll. You can then visit the electoral search portal and plug in your details to find your entry. If you can find your name and ID there, and the details are all correct, you're all set to vote.
How to fix mistake in your registered Voter ID
On the chance some of your details in the electoral roll are wrong, the same website allows you to make a change. A third option there reads "Correction of entries in electoral roll", which leads you to Form 8. Here you need to specifically mark which details needs to be corrected, and then provide the correct entries to be input. Unfortunately there's no real way to say how long this could take
How to register for voter ID offline?
If you're not comfortable doing all of this online, or the process is too confusing, you can instead register the old-fashioned way. Just download two copies of Form 6 (or Form 8 as required) from the official link here and print them out. Alternatively, these are also available with your Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant ERO in your constituency, as well as the Booth Level Officer at your local polling station. These forms are free, so don't let anyone charge you for them.
Once you've filled them out and attached hard copies of your details as required (see above), submit the documents to your ERO, Assistant ERO or Booth Level Officer. Or, if you really want to avoid human interaction as much as possible, post them to the address of their office addresses. You probably don't have enough time to count on snail mail now though.