India is the largest democratic country in the world. Here, citizens are responsible for electing local, state, and central governments. Every citizen in India above 18 years is eligible to vote in the elections if they possess a voter ID card.

A voter ID card is a proof of citizenship. It holds detailed information about an Indian resident including his/her name, gender, age, contact details, and many more. Every state in India has an Election Commission office that is responsible for election-related activities like issuing voter ID cards.

This article will guide you on how to get a voter ID card in Himachal Pradesh.

All applicants must meet the eligibility criteria to get a voter ID card in Himachal Pradesh. The following are the eligibility criteria which every applicant should fulfil:

• Applicants must be a citizen of India with a permanent address
• The age of the applicant should be 18 years and above

Mentioned below are the documents that an applicant needs to submit to apply for a voter ID card in Himachal Pradesh:

• Identity Proof: Birth certificate/ PAN card/ driving license/10th-grade certificate/ passport/ Aadhaar card/ senior citizen card/ 2 passport-size photographs
• Address Proof: Ration card/ driving license/ passport/ bank passbook/ telephone bill/ electricity bill

Himachal Pradesh has made it mandatory to have a voter ID card to vote. The process of applying for voter ID cards is easy, whether via online or offline modes. All you have to do is go to the official website of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer and follow the application process.

• Steps to Apply for a Voter ID Card in Himachal Pradesh Online

India is rapidly becoming digitalised. So, it is not surprising that applying for a voter ID card in Himachal Pradesh online has become easy and hassle-free. Here are the steps to follow to apply for a voter ID card in Himachal Pradesh:

Step 1: Visit the Chief Electoral Officer website of Himachal Pradesh.

Step 2: Click on ‘Online Registration of Name in Voter List’ in the ‘For Voters’ section.

Step 3: Sign in by entering your email ID, valid name, and phone number.

Step 4: A username and password will be sent to the mobile number used while signing up. Log in with the username and password provided to you.

Step 5: Select Form 6 from the ‘Forms’ section. Fill up this form with all the necessary details. Attach a photograph with this form, if necessary.

Step 6: After filling up the form with the necessary details, click on ‘Submit’. The application form gets submitted to the Himachal Pradesh Election Commission.

Step 7: Submission of this application form generates an application number. Applicants can use this number to track their voter ID application.

Step 8: A Booth Level Officer will visit you and verify your detailed information in the application form.

• Steps to Apply for a Voter ID Card in Himachal Pradesh Offline

Some people even today prefer to apply for a voter ID card by visiting an office. To obtain a voter ID card offline in Himachal Pradesh, follow the below steps:

Step 1: Visit the nearest Electoral Office in Himachal Pradesh.

Step 2: For the new registration of a voter ID, obtain Form 6 from the office.

Step 3: Fill up the required form with all the necessary details.

Step 4: Hand over the duly filled form with the required documents and a passport-size photograph to the officer in charge.

Step 5: An official will visit the address mentioned in the form for verification.

Step 6: Once, the verification process gets completed, the voter ID card is sent to the applicant's address via post within a few days.

An applicant can download a voter ID card online in Himachal Pradesh by following the below steps:

Step 1: Click on the website link of National Voters’ Services Portal (NVSP).

Step 2: Select the ‘e-EPIC Download’ option.

Step 3: Input the username, password, and the given CAPTCHA and click on 'Login'.

Step 4: Sign into the portal and provide your mobile number to receive an OTP (One Time Password). For verification, enter the OTP after which your voter ID card can be downloaded from the site.

There are three ways of checking your application status for a voter ID card in Himachal Pradesh.

1. Tracking Application Status Online

After visiting the CEO website of Himachal Pradesh, an applicant can track his/her application status online by following the below-mentioned steps:

Step 1: Select the option "Track Application Status" on the official website.

Step 2: Type your district and assembly constituency.

Step 3: Select your required form.

Step 4: Enter the date you want to track.

Step 5: Select the ‘’Search’ option.

2. Tracking Application Status via SMS

To track the voter ID card application status via SMS, send your proper verified details following the format: HPEPICEPIC card number and send it to 51969.

3. Tracking Application Status via ECI Helpline

The Government of Himachal Pradesh provides ECI Helpline numbers to help applicants track their application status. This helpline number remains available from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on all working days.

Keep checking the status of your voter ID card after you apply for it. The card is subject to verification before it is delivered to citizens. Any kind of correction in voter ID cards takes around 2 to 3 weeks. If your voter ID card has any incorrect details, you can file Form 8 for the correction of data.

Thus, as this article pointed out, it is mandatory to get a Voter ID in Himachal Pradesh. If you are a citizen residing in Himachal Pradesh, it should be on your top priority to get your voter card as soon as you turn 18. The process is quite simple, and can be conducted both online and offline.