New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday withdrew its ?no photo I-card, no vote? rule for the Bihar Assembly election, a decision that will enable millions of voters to exercise their franchise.
Voters can use alternative documents for identification for the four-phased ballot that begins on October 18 just like they did during the last Assembly battle in February.
The Election Commission softened its stance after it failed to provide photo identity cards to all voters.
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Bihar said that voters could show any alternative document as identification.
These include passport, driving license, PAN card, and identity card issued by state or Central government undertakings or public limited companies.
Nearly 80 percent of the 52 million voters have the requisite photo I-cards, but that left a yawning gap of 20 percent.
The Election Commission had directed the administration to complete the task of distributing the cards in the 243 assembly constituencies of Bihar by September 15 but the administration failed to do the same.
With only 4 days to the election, this now seems an impossible task to accomplish.
Political parties are relieved at this announcement for they had feared this would discourage many voters from exercising their franchise.
Railway Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, had been most vocal against mandatory photo I-cards saying it was a conspiracy to prevent his poor supporters from voting.
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