Organization : Election Commission of India
Facility : Service Voters
Location : India
Service Voters : https://www.electionin.in/uploads/407-ServiceVoter_2122013.pdf
Website : http://eci.nic.in/eci/eci.html
Related : ECI How to Vote Without Voter Card : www.electionin.in/412.html
Service Voters :
Q. 1 Who is a service voter ?
According to the provisions of sub – section (8) of Section 20 of Representation of People Act, 1950, service qualification means
Service voter is a voter having service qualification.
(a) Being a member of the armed Forces of the Union ; or
(b) Being a member of a force to which provisions of the Army Act, 1950 (46 of 1950), have been made applicable whether with or without modification ;
(c) Being a member of an Armed Police Force of a State, and serving outside that state; or
(d) Being a person who is employed under the Government of India, in a post outside India.
Q. 2 What is the relevant date for revision of electoral roll ?
Ans. The relevant date for revision of electoral roll is 1st January of the year in which the roll is finally published.
Q. 3 How is a service voter different from an ordinary elector?
Ans. While an ordinary elector is registered in the electoral roll of the constituency in which his place of ordinary residence is located, person having service qualification can get enrolled as ‘service voter’ at his native place even though he actually may be residing at a different place (of posting). He has, however, an option to get himself enrolled as general elector at the place of his posting where he factually, at the point of time, is residing ordinarily with his family for a sufficient span of time.
Q.4 What are the application Forms in which various categories of service voters have to apply for enrollment as elector ?
Ans. Following are the application Forms in which various categories of service voters are to make application for enrollment as service voter : –
(i) Members of Armed Forces – Form 2
(ii) Members of Armed Police Force of a State, serving outside that State – Form 2 A
(iii) Persons employed under Government of India on post outside India – Form 3 However, if a service personnel has opted to get himself enrolled as general elector at place of his posting, where he is actually residing, he will have to apply in Form 6 like other general electors.
Q. 5 Are members of all Armed Forces / Para Military Forces eligible to be enrolled as service voters?
Ans. As per the existing arrangements, members of Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and personnel of General Reserve Engineer Force (Border Road Organization), Border Security Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police, Assam Rifles, National Security Guards, Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force and Sashastra Seema Bal are eligible to be registered as service voters.
Q. 6 From where Form 2 / 2 A / 3 can be obtained?
Ans. It can be downloaded from the website of Election Commission of India.
Q. 7 What is the process of enrollment of a service personnel as a service voter ?
Ans. Election Commission orders revision / updation of rolls for service voters twice in a year. The Commission sends a communication to Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs intimating them of the commencement of revision programme. As soon as the programme is announced, persons having service qualification can fill up the application in statutory Form 2 / 2A / 3, in duplicate, and handover to the officer in-charge of record office or the nodal authority in Ministry of External Affairs (in case of persons employed under Government of India on a post outside India).
The person applying in Form 2 / 2A has also to submit a declaration in a prescribed format to the effect that he did not get enrolled as general elector in any constituency. The declaration need not be in duplicate. The officer in-charge / nodal authority will check the Form and declaration and ensure that the Form is complete in all respects and particulars filled by the applicant therein are correct. The officer in-charge, will then, sign the verification certificate provided in the Form itself and forward the same to the Chief Electoral Officer of the State concerned. The Chief Electoral Officer sends the Form to respective District Election Officer who will then send it to the Electoral Registration Officer of the constituency. The Electoral Registration Officer will process the Form.