Oct 6 Bypolls: Polling-Day Checklist — What to Carry, Silence Period and Booth Rules

Oct 6 Bypolls: Polling-Day Checklist — What to Carry, Silence Period and Booth Rules

Six constituencies across Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and West Bengal will vote on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in the bye-elections announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The seats are Nagaon Lok Sabha in Assam; Madurantakam and Dharapuram in Tamil Nadu; Thattanchavady in Puducherry; and Rejinagar and Nandigram in West Bengal. Counting is scheduled for October 9. Press Information Bureau

If you are registered as an elector in one of these constituencies, here is the practical polling-day checklist.

1 First, check that your name is on the electoral roll

Having a Voter ID card does not by itself guarantee that you can vote at a particular booth.

Before leaving home, check:

• Your name in the electoral roll
• Your polling station
• Your constituency
• Your electoral-roll serial number
• Your polling-station address

The ECI's voter services provide facilities to search electoral-roll information and locate the polling station. Election Commission of India

Tip: Save or note your polling-station details before going to vote. This can save time if there are several booths at the same location.

2 What should you carry to the polling station?

The EPIC/Voter ID is the main identification document.

However, for these October 6 bypolls, the ECI has approved 12 alternative photo-ID documents for electors whose names are on the electoral roll. Press Information Bureau

The list includes:

1. Aadhaar card
2. MGNREGA Job Card
3. Passbook with photograph issued by a bank or post office
4. Health Insurance Smart Card issued under the Ministry of Labour scheme or Ayushman Bharat Health Card
5. Driving licence
6. PAN card
7. Smart Card issued by the Registrar General of India under NPR
8. Indian passport
9. Pension document with photograph
10. Service identity card with photograph issued by the Central/State Government, PSU or public limited company
11. Official identity card issued to MPs, MLAs or MLCs
12. Unique Disability ID (UDID) Card Press Information Bureau

Important

Your name must still be present in the electoral roll. Carrying one of these documents does not substitute for being an enrolled elector.

3 You don't need to carry every document

You generally need one permitted identity document, not the entire list.

A simple polling-day kit can therefore be:

Voter ID/one approved photo ID + polling-station details.

Avoid carrying unnecessary documents or valuables into the polling premises.

4 What about your mobile phone?

This is one of the most important booth rules.

Voters cannot carry mobile phones inside the polling station. ECI instructions provide for a mobile-phone deposit facility outside the entrance where arrangements are made. Election Commission of India

Under the ECI's current instructions:

• A mobile phone may be taken within 100 metres of the polling station only when switched off.
• It must be handed over before entering the polling station.
• Where a deposit facility is provided, a designated volunteer can issue a token.
• After voting, the voter can return the token and collect the phone.
• The phone should not be switched on within the 100-metre area.
• The facility may not be available at every polling station, depending on local circumstances. Election Commission of India

Safest option: If possible, leave your phone at home or with someone outside the polling premises.

5 Don't photograph your vote

The voting compartment is designed to protect the secrecy of your ballot.

Do not attempt to photograph or record:

• Your marked choice
• The voting compartment
• The EVM while casting your vote
• Another person's vote

The ECI's polling instructions specifically provide for a standardized voting compartment to maintain secrecy. Election Commission of India

6 Know the silence period

The 48-hour silence period is not simply a request to candidates to stop campaigning.

Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 restricts the display of election matter in a polling area during the 48 hours ending with the hour fixed for conclusion of the poll. The restriction covers election-related material intended or calculated to influence the result. Press Information Bureau

For example, Tamil Nadu's October 6 bypolls are scheduled from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Therefore, the 48-hour silence period runs from 6:00 PM on October 4 until 6:00 PM on October 6 in the relevant polling areas. TNTrack

The exact silence-period timing should be understood according to the poll-closing time notified for the relevant constituency.

What does this mean for citizens?

During the silence period, be particularly careful about:

• Campaign appeals
• Election-related promotional material
• Content intended to influence voters
• Campaign meetings or canvassing covered by the statutory restrictions
• Sharing election material on electronic platforms where Section 126 restrictions apply

The ECI has specifically reiterated that election matter displayed through electronic media during the applicable silence period is restricted. Press Information Bureau

7 Exit polls are a separate restriction

Don't confuse the silence period with the exit-poll restriction.

Section 126A deals specifically with conducting and disseminating exit polls. For bye-elections, the ECI separately notifies the applicable period.

So, simply posting a poll-day prediction or presenting an exit-poll result can raise a different legal issue from ordinary campaign material.

8 Don't campaign at or around the booth

Polling stations are places for voters to cast their ballots, not campaign venues.

Do not:

• Distribute campaign material at the booth
• Solicit votes
• Display campaign material where prohibited
• Wear or display election-related material contrary to polling-day restrictions
• Interfere with polling officials or other voters

Polling agents also have specific restrictions around canvassing and the use of phones and other electronic devices within the polling-station neighbourhood. Election Commission of India

9 What happens inside the polling station?

The process generally involves verification followed by voting through the EVM and VVPAT.

The ECI has confirmed that EVMs and VVPATs will be used at polling stations for these October 6 bye-elections. Press Information Bureau

Follow the instructions of the polling officials.

After recording your vote, the VVPAT system allows you to see the printed paper slip through the designated viewing window for the prescribed period.

10 Don't worry if there is a queue

Polling stations are required to provide voter-facilitation measures.

The ECI has directed polling stations to provide facilities such as:

• Drinking water
• Waiting areas with shade
• Toilets
• Lighting
• Ramps for persons with disabilities
• Seating/benches where required
• Signage
• Voter Assistance Booths

Voter Assistance Booths can help voters locate their polling station number and electoral-roll serial number. Election Commission of India

11 Senior citizens and voters with disabilities

Polling arrangements include accessibility measures for persons with disabilities and elderly voters.

The ECI's voter-assistance arrangements include ramps and other accessibility facilities, while the Saksham App provides services for PwD electors, including assistance related to polling stations and voting. Election Commission of India

If you require assistance, ask the polling officials rather than trying to navigate the premises on your own.

12 What if you reach the polling station before closing time?

Don't wait until the final few minutes if you can avoid it.

If you are already in the queue when polling officially closes, follow the instructions of the polling officials. Do not assume that arriving at the gate just before closing automatically means you can complete the process after the deadline.

The safest approach is to reach your polling station with adequate time.

13 October 6 bypoll schedule at a glance

The six constituencies are Madurantakam (SC), Dharapuram (SC), Thattanchavady, Rejinagar, Nandigram and Nagaon Parliamentary Constituency. Press Information Bureau

Your 5-minute polling-day checklist

Before leaving home:

☑ Check that your name is on the electoral roll

☑ Confirm your polling station and serial number

☑ Carry EPIC or one approved photo-ID document

☑ Keep your mobile phone outside the polling station

☑ Don't carry or display campaign material at the booth

☑ Follow polling officials' instructions

☑ Maintain the secrecy of your vote

☑ Verify the VVPAT display after pressing the EVM button

☑ Leave the polling premises after completing the process

One important distinction

A Voter Information Slip can help you find your polling station and electoral-roll information, but it should not be treated as a substitute for the approved identification document. The ECI's identification rules specify EPIC and the approved alternative documents listed above. Press Information Bureau

Bottom line

For the October 6, 2026 bypolls, the simplest approach is:

Check your name → confirm your booth → carry EPIC or an approved photo ID → leave your phone outside → follow booth instructions → cast your vote privately.

The ECI's official voter services are the appropriate place to verify your polling station and electoral-roll details before polling day. Election Commission of India

ECI Voters' Services Portal

Election Commission of India