Assembly elections in five states are due in early 2017. (PTI Photo)

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has added some new features in the voters' slip for the upcoming elections in five states of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to be held early 2017.

Instead of the photo voter slips in the form of small chits, the electorate in these five poll-bound states will get A4 size papers of good quality with the snapshot of the polling station on Google-Maps.

The ECI, in a letter to the chief electoral officers of these five states, has issued instructions regarding the modifications of the photo voter slips.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THE NEW NOTIFICATION:

The ECI aims at further enhancing the effectiveness of the photo voter slips as an important instrument of voter facilitation and awareness. The Commission also intends to improve the utility of the photo voter slips in establishing the identity of the voters on the poll day. To these ends, the Commission has decided to improve the design of the voters' slip to make it more perceptible, informative and useful. The existing size of the voter slip has been substantially increased, with a much larger photograph of the voter for better and easy identification. The voter slip will be printed in the size of half of A4 paper 8 inches by 6 inches. The slip will be printed with proper accounting on both sides, showing the front and the reverse print. The states have been instructed to use good quality paper for printing the slips. The chief state electoral officers have also been asked to ensure that the printing quality is of high standard to ensure clear, legible and unambiguous image and content. Further, to aid and guide the voters regarding the polling station location, the snapshot of polling station's Google Maps has been added to the reverse of the voter slip. The reverse side also contains other crucial information and Dos and Don'ts for the poll day.

The list of important information is as follows:

All the voters who are in the queue at the closing time of the poll shall be allowed to cast their vote.

There are separate queues for women.

Senior citizens are given priority for voting.

Blind and infirm voter can be permitted to take an adult companion in the voting compartment for recording the vote.

Gadgets like mobile phones and cameras are not allowed inside the polling booth.

Offering or accepting money or any other gratification to vote for a particular candidate is a corrupt practice under law.

The slip ends with the message "No voter to be left behind: Every voter counts.

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