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Yielding to the mounting pressure of political parties, the Election Commission on Sunday relaxed the rule of mandatory voter’s identity card to cast the vote in the coming Vidhan Sabha elections and announced 14 documents/ cards etc, which would enable people to exercise their right to franchise in the absence of the voter’s identity card.

People would be allowed to cast their vote if they have even one of the following document/card: Passport, driving license, permanent account number (PAN) issued by the Income Tax Department, identity cards issued by the Central or State Government and public sector companies, Kissan Passbook or passbooks issued by post office or a bank with photograph provided the account was opened on or before January 31, 2007, students’ identity cards of recognised educational institutions  issued on or before January 31, 2007, any document related to property including registry and patta documents, Kisan Bahi with photograph of the farmer, SC/ST and Backward certificate issued by competent authorities, pension, including old-age, widow, soldier, dependents’ documents, Freedom fighter certificate/Identity card, firearm license with photograph issued on or before January 31, 2007, disability certificate issued by the competent authority, Job Card with photograph issued under the Rashtriya Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Yojana.

The entire family would be allowed to vote if only head of family has any one of the 14 documents/cards provided all the family members reach the polling centre together and head of the family recognises each of the members in presence of the polling officer.