The Election Commission of India (ECI) will launch the e-EPIC (Electronic Electoral Photo Identity Card) today, which is the National Voter’s Day. Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will launch the e-EPIC program and distribute digital voter ID cards to five new voters. This will be the first time that the government will issue voter identity cards in digital formats. Other identity proofs like the Aadhaar card, PAN card, driving license are already available in digital format.

Here is all you need to know about the Digital voter ID cards

1) The e-EPIC will be a non-editable secure PDF version

2) In the first phase between 25 January and 31 January, only new voters who have applied for their voter cards and have registered their mobile numbers with the Election Commission will be able to download their digital voter ID cards.

3) From next month, all voters will be able to download their digital copies, if their phone numbers are linked with the Election Commission.

4) Voters who do not have their phone numbers linked will have to get it done to avail of the download feature.

6) Digital voter identity cards will be in PDF formats.

6) New voters will also get hard copies of their voter ID cards.

7) The digitization is to ensure there is no delay in getting voter ID cards as the physical card takes time to print and reach the voter, and the idea is to provide faster delivery and easy accessibility to the document.

8) Digital voter ID cards can be stored on Digilocker.

9) The digital cards will carry a secured QR code

10) The e-version of the voter card is being launched to mark the anniversary of the Election Commission.

How to download digital voter ID cards:

1) Log on to https://voterportal.eci.gov.in/

2) Click on the option of download E-EPIC.

3) The download facility will be available from 11.14 am onwards today

The Election Commission is celebrating 11th National Voters’ Day (NVD) today and the theme this year is ‘Making Our Voters Empowered, Vigilant, Safe and Informed’. President Ram Nath Kovind will be the Chief Guest at the national function being organized in New Delhi by ECI. The National Voters’ Day is celebrated on 25 January every year since 2011, all across the country. The main purpose of the NVD celebration is to encourage, facilitate and maximize enrolment, especially for the new voters. Dedicated to the voters of the country, the day is utilized to spread awareness among voters and for promoting informed participation in the electoral process. During the event, the President will confer the National Awards for the year 2020-21 and launch ECI’s Web Radio:’Hello Voters’.