Gangtok: The voters looking forward to casting their vote on 10th November’22 have been provided alternatives as usual to produce documents in case the Electoral Photo Identity card can not be produced at that time.
The13 enlisted alternatives do not directly specify a Certificate of Identification, which has been a cause for raising eyebrows around. All the political parties and some individuals have made their dissatisfaction public.
Making their stand clear Bikash Basnett, the Press Secretary to CM has said for any document one has to produce COI so there is nothing to panic about, it is alright.
However, the documents to be produced for casting vote specified by the Election Commission include, Electoral Photo Identity Card, if unavailable, Passport, Driving License, Service Identity Card issued by the competent authority, Passbooks with photographs issued by Postoffice, PAN Card, Aadhar Card, MNREGA Job Card, Health Insurance SmartCard,(Under GOI scheme), SC/ST/OBC Certificate, Pension documents. Arms License, Certificate of Physical Disability, Authorised Photo slip issued by Panchayat Returning officer. All the above documents are expected to be having a photo of the voter on them.
COI is a Certificate of Identification issued to successors of those possessing pre-merger Sikkim Subject Certificate, of erstwhile e Chogyals ( Kings ) of Sikkim. It is mandatory to produce if and when, for employment, certain services, and a few other things. to prove ethnicity.
