Bihar Assembly election 2020: First time voter? All you need to know before you vote

Bihar Election Phase-1 polling: Voting for first of three phases will happen on Wednesday (October 28). For voters, all the guidelines explaining how they can vote have been put out on the official website of the Election Commission. The voters — especially first time voters — need to go through the state commission website — ceobihar.nic.in — once to know where and how they can vote with what necessary documents in hand.

ALSO READ | Bihar Election 2020: Date, schedule, results — All you need to know

This time, there are 11.17 lakh first-time voters in Bihar.

Among the things that voters need to keep in their mind are voting centres, photo electoral roll, photo identification proof and how to vote on EVM.

Here’s how you can download Photo Voter Slip

Visit the official website of state commission – ceobihar.nic.in
Go to Voter’s Corner – click on ‘Search Name in Electoral Roll’
Fill in required information and click on Search button
Your name will appear at the bottom of the page. Click on view details and then you will be directed to your voter slip.
You can take print out of the voter slip.

Digital photo voter slips can also be downloaded from the Voter Helpline app available on Google Play store and Apple’s app store.

How to know your polling centres

Go to – nvsp.in/Home/KnowBoothNofficers
Enter – EPIC number or address
Click on Search – you will get the details of your booth and electoral officer.

On the home page of the same website, you can know the details of your assembly constituency, electoral officers, political party representative, and electoral roll. Here, you can also download electoral roll PDF.

How to cast your Vote using EVM – VVPAT

The Commission conducts elections using EVM (Electronic Voting Machines), which has two parts – Control Unit and Ballot Unit.

The Commission also uses VVPAT (Voter-verified paper audit trail). It shows in printed paper the candidate voter has voted for.

But voters compartment will have only Ballot Unit and VVPAT

Ballot Unit will have serial number, name and symbol of candidates

On the ballot unit, you need to press the blue button in front of candidates of your choice

Then look at the transparent window of VVPAT – see the printed paper slip showing the serial number, name and symbol of the candidate. The slips will be there for 7 seconds and after which it will be cut and go in the VVPAT.

Documents required at polling booth

For photo identification purposes, you can carry your EPIC any one of these documents.

Passport
Driving License
Service Identity Cards with photographs issued to employees
Passbooks with photographs issued by the Bank/Post Office
PAN Card
Smart Card issued by Registrar General of India under NPR
MNREGA Job Card
Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the scheme of Ministry of Labour
Pension document with photograph
Official identity cards issued to MPs/MLAs/MLCs and
Aadhar Card

The polling will begin at 7 am and conclude at 6 pm. In view of Covid-19, voters are instructed to wear masks and maintain social distancing at the polling centres. Sanitizers will be provided at the polling booth and thermal scanning of all persons will be carried out.