In Indian election law, exercising the franchise involves two distinct statutory stages: getting enrolled on the electoral roll through prescribed forms, and casting a vote through authorized legal channels. Governed primarily by the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RPA 1950), the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RPA 1951), the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 (RER 1960), and the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 (CER 1961), the system accommodates diverse categories of electors and voting requirements.
1. Statutory Forms for Electoral Roll Registration
Under the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, specific forms are prescribed for claims, objections, registration, correction, and authentication concerning electoral rolls. Because these forms are prescribed under statutory rules, substantive alterations to them require amendment of the rules by the Central Government under Section 28 of the RPA 1950, through an official Gazette notification, followed by laying the rules before Parliament.
| Statutory Form | Parent Rule (RER 1960) | Primary Legal Purpose | Applicable Category / Applicant |
| Form 6 | Rule 13(1) | Application for inclusion of a name in the electoral roll. | Indian citizens who have attained or will attain 18 years of age with reference to any of the four qualifying dates (Jan 1, Apr 1, Jul 1, Oct 1), including advance applicants. |
| Form 6A | Rule 8B / 13 | Application for registration as an overseas elector. | Non-Resident Indian (NRI) citizens residing outside India who have not acquired foreign citizenship. |
| Form 6B | Rule 26B | Voluntary submission of Aadhaar details for electoral authentication. | Existing electors wishing to furnish Aadhaar details to authenticate their entry in the electoral roll. |
| Form 7 | Rule 13(2) | Objection to inclusion or request for deletion of a name. | Registered electors or officials seeking deletion or objecting to an entry based on death, shifting, or disqualification. |
| Form 8 | Rule 13(3) & 26 | Unified application for shifting, correction, replacement EPIC, or PwD marking. | Existing electors updating address, correcting personal details, requesting a duplicate EPIC, or tagging disability status. |
2. Statutory Channels and Modes of Voting
While in-person polling at designated polling stations remains the primary mechanism, Indian election law provides several alternative voting channels governed by the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961 (CER 1961).
A. In-Person Voting: EVM and VVPAT
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Standard Mechanism: Used by the vast majority of general electors at their assigned polling stations.
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Process: The elector casts a vote electronically using an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). The associated Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) unit displays a printed paper slip showing the candidate’s serial number, name, and symbol for seven seconds before the slip drops into a sealed box.
B. Election Duty Certificate (EDC)
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Target Group: Electors deployed on election duty within the same constituency where they are registered as voters.
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Process: Issued under Rule 20 of CER 1961 (via Form 12B), an EDC allows the polling official to cast their vote directly on the EVM at the specific polling station where they are currently deployed. Election duty staff deployed outside their registered constituency use postal ballots (Form 12).
C. Postal Ballot
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Target Group: Categories legally entitled to vote by postal ballot, including service voters, poll staff deployed outside their home constituency, electors under preventive detention, essential service personnel, senior citizens aged 85+, and PwD electors.
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Process: Physical paper ballots are issued or dispatched to eligible electors. The voter marks the physical ballot, completes the required declaration (Form 13A), and returns it to the Returning Officer prior to the start of counting.
D. Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS)
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Target Group: Service Voters, including members of the Armed Forces, state police forces serving outside their state, and Indian diplomatic personnel abroad.
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Process: Governed by Rule 23 of CER 1961, the Returning Officer electronically transmits encrypted postal ballot documents to service personnel via a secure portal. The voter downloads, prints, and physically marks the ballot before returning it to the Returning Officer by post. ETPBS facilitates electronic transmission of ballot papers, not electronic casting of votes.
E. Proxy Voting
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Target Group: Classified Service Voters (CSVs) belonging to the Armed Forces or paramilitary forces who opt for proxy voting.
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Process: Governed by Rule 27N of CER 1961, the service voter appoints a resident proxy in their home constituency (via Form 13F). The proxy votes in person on behalf of the service voter at the assigned polling station, where indelible ink is applied to the proxy’s finger.
F. Home Voting (Form 12D Postal Ballot)
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Target Group: Senior citizens aged 85 years and above and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwD with 40%+ disability), as defined under Rule 27A of CER 1961.
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Process: Eligible electors apply for the absentee postal ballot facility using Form 12D (under Rule 27C of CER 1961) within five days of the election notification. Dedicated polling teams visit the elector’s residence to oversee ballot marking while maintaining ballot secrecy.
G. Assisted Voting and Accessible Features
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Target Group: Visually impaired electors or voters with physical incapacities.
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Process: Under Rule 49N of CER 1961, a voter who is blind or physically unable to operate an EVM may take a companion aged 18 or above into the voting compartment to assist them. EVM Ballot Units also incorporate Braille raised markings beside candidate buttons to facilitate independent voting.
The legal separation between electoral roll registration (RPA 1950 / RER 1960) and vote-casting mechanisms (RPA 1951 / CER 1961) is foundational to Indian democracy. Registration forms establish who is legally qualified to be an elector, whereas the Conduct of Elections Rules dictate the authorized channels through which that franchise is exercised.