Imphal, January 31: Following reservations expressed by some political parties against the decision of the Election Commission of India to make identity cards/documents, compulsory for a voter to cast his votes, the ECI has modified its earlier stand and diluted it to a certain extent.

An official release said that other than the Electoral Photo Identity Card, the Election Commission of India has notified that voters may produce other forms of identity cards to cast their votes.

The identification documents which will be treated as valid include passports, driving license, income tax identity card, service identity cards of State and Central Government departments, public undertakings, private industrial houses and local bodies.

Post office pass books, ration cards issued before January 2002, SC/ST/OBC certificates, students identity cards, arms license, patta registration documents, conductor license issued by the Transport authority, pension book, pension payment receipts, railway/bus pass, physically handicap certificates, freedom identity card may also be used.

Family heads in possession of one of the documents mentioned may identify their family members.

Likewise any other member may identify his/her family members by producing his/her identity card.

Presiding officers and polling officers may also allow a voter to cast his/her votes if they are satisfied with the authenticity of their identity, said the release.

Meanwhile the State BJP unit has faxed a message to the ECI to reconsider its decision to make identity cards/documents a necessity.

In a fax message sent to the ECI yesterday by the BJP, Manipur Pradesh working president Tiken, the party said the efforts of the Commission is worth lauding but expressed reservations whether producing identity cards/documents mandatory for all the voters before casting their voles would bear the desired results.

The stand of the Commission on identity cards will not only confuse the voters hut also inconvenience a cross section of society especially those residing in the remote areas and in the hill districts, said the State BJP.