Quick take: Bye-elections for five Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat are scheduled for Tuesday, 6 October 2026, with counting on 9 October.
The seats are:
- Madurantakam (SC) — Tamil Nadu
- Dharapuram (SC) — Tamil Nadu
- Thattanchavady — Puducherry
- Rejinagar — West Bengal
- Nandigram — West Bengal
- Nagaon Lok Sabha — Assam
Your most important requirement is simple:
Your name must be on the electoral roll for the constituency.
Your Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) remains the principal voter ID. But if you don't have your EPIC with you, the Election Commission has also specified other approved photo identity documents that can be used for these bypolls.
So before polling day, check two things:
Am I on the roll?
Do I have an accepted photo ID?
Practical, non-partisan booth guide: No party politics. Just what to check before polling day and what photo ID you can carry if your EPIC isn't available.First things first: the roll matters more than the card
An alternate photo ID does not create a vote.
It only helps the polling officials establish that you are the elector whose name appears on the electoral roll for that polling station.
Before 6 October:
- Search your name on the official ECI voter-services portal.
- Confirm your Assembly or Parliamentary Constituency.
- Note your part number and serial number.
- Confirm your polling station and its address.
- Check that your personal details are correct.
If your name isn't on the electoral roll, showing Aadhaar, PAN or a passport at the booth won't solve the problem.
The roll comes first. The ID proves who you are.
What if you don't have your EPIC?Don't panic.
For these bye-elections, ECI has specified alternative photo identity documents that can be used when the elector cannot produce their EPIC.
Carry the original document.
Approved alternative photo IDs
DocumentWhat to carryAadhaar CardOriginal photo IDMGNREGA Job CardPhoto-bearing job cardBank / Post Office PassbookPassbook carrying photographAyushman Bharat / eligible health insurance cardPhoto-bearing cardDriving LicenceValid photo DLPAN CardPhoto PANPassportIndian passportPhoto Pension DocumentPension book/card carrying photographService Identity CardEligible government/PSU/public limited company employee IDMP / MLA / MLC Identity CardOfficial legislative identity cardNPR Smart CardNational Population Register smart cardUDID CardUnique Disability ID
The practical rule is:
EPIC if you have it. One approved alternative if you don't.
Don't rely on a photocopy if you have the originalIf you're using an alternative ID, carry the original photo document.
A photocopy, photograph or screenshot of Aadhaar isn't the same thing as carrying the actual approved identity document.
If you have two accepted IDs available, carrying a second one as backup can also be sensible.
Especially if your primary card is damaged or the photograph is difficult to recognise.
Step 1: Check your name before polling dayGo to:
Search your electoral record.
Check:
- Name
- EPIC number
- Assembly/Parliamentary Constituency
- Part number
- Serial number
- Polling station
Save a screenshot.
You can also use the relevant State Chief Electoral Officer portal for the constituency.
This is particularly important if you've:
- Recently moved
- Recently turned 18
- Applied for a correction
- Changed address
- Recently applied for voter registration
- Been affected by an electoral-roll revision
This is not an ID problem.
It's an electoral-roll problem.
Having an Aadhaar card, PAN card or passport doesn't automatically put you on the voter list.
If your name is missing, contact the relevant BLO/ERO and use the appropriate electoral process before polling day, subject to the applicable deadlines.
Don't wait until you reach the polling station on 6 October.
What if your name is correct but your Aadhaar has a different spelling?Don't panic.
The important thing is to establish your identity against the electoral entry.
For example, your voter record might contain one spelling while another identity document contains a slightly different spelling.
If the underlying electoral record itself needs correction, that should be handled before polling day through the appropriate electoral process.
Don't try to "fix" the voter record at the booth by arguing that another document has a different spelling.
What if you've lost your plastic EPIC?You have several practical options.
Option 1: Download e-EPIC
Use the official ECI voter-services portal:
If the current portal flow allows you to download your e-EPIC, save the PDF to your phone and consider printing a copy.
Option 2: Carry an approved alternative ID
If you don't have the physical EPIC, carry one of the approved photo IDs listed by ECI.
Option 3: Check with your BLO
If you're unsure about your electoral details, resolve the issue before polling day.
Option 4: Call 1950
The ECI voter helpline is 1950.
Use it if you're unsure about your polling station, electoral record or voter-service process.
e-EPIC is useful — but don't confuse it with the alternate-ID listAn e-EPIC is your digital voter ID.
It can be extremely useful if you've lost your physical card.
But if you're going to the booth without the physical EPIC, the safest approach is to carry one of the photo identity documents specifically accepted by ECI for the poll.
Think of e-EPIC as a useful backup, not as a reason to ignore the official polling-day identity instructions.
Polling-day checklistBefore leaving home on 6 October, check:
- ☐ Name confirmed on the electoral roll
- ☐ Correct constituency confirmed
- ☐ Part number noted
- ☐ Serial number noted
- ☐ Polling station address saved
- ☐ EPIC packed, if available
- ☐ If no EPIC: one approved alternative original packed
- ☐ Phone charged
- ☐ e-EPIC available as additional reference, if you have it
- ☐ No campaign material being carried into prohibited areas
- ☐ Enough time allowed for queues
The goal is to make the booth visit boring.
Correct roll. Correct booth. Correct ID. Vote.
What happens if the polling officer has a doubt?Stay calm.
The polling staff may verify details against the electoral roll and your identity document.
Be prepared to provide information such as:
- Your name
- Relative's name
- Address
- Other details appearing in the roll
If your photograph looks different because you've aged, changed hairstyle, grown a beard or are wearing glasses, don't panic.
If you have another approved photo ID, carrying it as backup can make identity verification easier.
Students and migrants: check the part, not just the constituencyThis is an easy mistake.
You may know that you're registered in a particular constituency but still not know which polling station and part you're assigned to.
Before polling day, check the complete polling information.
A valid Aadhaar card doesn't move your vote from one constituency to another.
If you've moved permanently, the electoral record needs to be updated through the appropriate process before the election.
Bye-election scheduleFor the October 2026 bypolls, the key dates are:
MilestoneDateGazette notification9 Sep 2026Last date for nominations16 Sep 2026Scrutiny17 Sep 2026Withdrawal deadline19 Sep 2026Polling6 Oct 2026Counting9 Oct 2026Process completionBy 11 Oct 2026
Roll publication dates vary between the states and constituencies.
If you've recently moved or made an electoral application, check your current state CEO/ECI record rather than relying on an old voter slip.
Where these bye-elections are happeningTamil Nadu
- Madurantakam (SC)
- Dharapuram (SC)
Puducherry
- Thattanchavady
West Bengal
- Rejinagar
- Nandigram
Assam
- Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency
The polling-day identity principle is the same: your name must appear on the electoral roll and you must establish your identity through EPIC or an accepted alternative document.
Three common mistakes to avoid"I have Aadhaar, so I can vote."
Not necessarily.
Aadhaar proves identity. It doesn't create an electoral registration.
Your name must be on the roll.
"My name is on the old voter card, so I'm definitely fine."
Not necessarily.
Your electoral-roll entry is what you should verify.
Check the current record before polling day.
"I'll sort it out at the booth."
Don't.
Polling day is not the time to fix a missing electoral entry, change your constituency or correct a registration problem.
Check now.
Keep your polling-day information on your phoneCreate one note containing:
Name:
EPIC:
Constituency:
Part:
Serial:
Polling Station:
Address:
Alternative ID packed: Yes/No
Take a screenshot of the official search result.
If your phone battery dies, keep a printed copy if practical.
One final check before 6 OctoberDo this a few days before polling:
Search your name again.
Why?
Because you've got time to react if something looks wrong.
On polling day, you don't.
Bottom lineFor the 6 October 2026 bye-elections, remember one rule:
Roll first. ID second.
Your name must be on the electoral roll for the relevant constituency.
If you have your EPIC, carry it.
If you don't, ECI has specified alternative photo IDs including Aadhaar, PAN, passport, driving licence, MGNREGA job card, photo passbook, eligible health-insurance card, photo pension document, qualifying service ID, legislative identity card, NPR smart card and UDID card.
Check your name and polling station now.
Save the details.
Carry the original ID.
And don't wait until polling morning to discover that your name or booth information needs attention.
Be informed. Be heard.
Note: Polling arrangements and accepted identification instructions can be updated by the Election Commission. Check the latest ECI and relevant State CEO instructions before polling day.