About National Voters’ Day
National Voters' Day, or Rashtriya Matdata Diwas, marks 25 January 1950, the day the Election Commission of India was set up, one day before the country became a republic. It has been observed since 2011 to honour voters and bring young people onto the electoral roll. In 2027 it falls on Monday, 25 January 2027.
National Voters' Day is the Election Commission of India's own foundation day, turned outwards. Instead of marking the institution, it marks the people the institution serves: nearly 100 crore registered electors, and the lakhs of young Indians who join the roll each year.
What is the history of National Voters' Day?
National Voters' Day began in 2011 and is held on 25 January because the Election Commission of India was established on that date in 1950, under Article 324 of the Constitution, a day before the Constitution came into force on Republic Day. The Commission conducts elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies, the Rajya Sabha and legislative councils, and the offices of President and Vice President.
The Manmohan Singh cabinet approved the idea before the first observance. The immediate worry was young people: enrolment among newly eligible citizens was reported to be as low as 20 to 25 per cent in some places.
India's first general election ran in 68 phases from 25 October 1951 to 21 February 1952, with about 1.96 lakh polling stations and a separate coloured ballot box for each candidate so that voters who could not read could still choose. The first Chief Election Commissioner, Sukumar Sen, took office in March 1950.
How is National Voters' Day celebrated?
The main National Voters' Day function is held in New Delhi and addressed by the President of India. The President hands Electors' Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to a group of newly enrolled young voters and presents national awards to the best-performing election districts and officials, for work such as voter awareness campaigns, use of technology, training and enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. Media houses are recognised for voter education campaigns.
Around the country, the day is marked at about 11 lakh polling booths. Booth Level Officers felicitate new voters in their area, District Election Officers hold district events, and Chief Electoral Officers hold state ones. Schools and colleges run debates, essay and drawing competitions, rallies and human chains under SVEEP, the Commission's voter education programme, which began in 2009. Offices and institutions read out the Voters' Pledge.
…to vote in every election fearlessly and without being influenced by considerations of religion, race, caste, community, language or any inducement.
Each year has a theme. The 2025 theme, the Commission's 75th year, was "Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure". For 2026 it was "My India, My Vote", with the tagline "Citizen at the Heart of Indian Democracy".
How do young Indians join the electoral roll?
Young Indians join the electoral roll by applying with Form 6, and since 2022 they can do so from the age of 17. The right to vote at 18 itself came through the Sixty-first Amendment, which changed "twenty-one years" to "eighteen years" in Article 326. Parliament passed it in December 1988 and it came into force on 28 March 1989. Until then, a citizen had to be 21 to vote.
Young people no longer wait for a single cut-off date in the year. An applicant aged 17 or above is added to the roll on the first of the four qualifying dates after they turn 18.
| If you turn 18 | You are added to the roll from |
|---|---|
| Between 2 October and 1 January | 1 January |
| Between 2 January and 1 April | 1 April |
| Between 2 April and 1 July | 1 July |
| Between 2 July and 1 October | 1 October |
Before this change, only those who turned 18 by 1 January could enrol in that year's revision, and someone born in February could wait almost a year for a vote.
How do you wish someone on National Voters' Day?
A good National Voters' Day wish is short and specific: congratulate a first-time voter, thank a polling official, or share a family memory of voting. Leave out parties, leaders and election results entirely.
Congratulations on your first voter ID. From today your voice counts the same as anyone's in the country. Happy National Voters' Day.
Happy National Voters' Day, Dadi. Seventy years of standing in line at the booth, and you still go first in the morning.
Thank you for the long days at the polling booth. Elections work because people like you give up your weekends. Happy National Voters' Day.
Happy National Voters' Day. Anyone who turned 17 can apply now, so please check before the next revision.
Wishing everyone a happy National Voters' Day. One person, one vote, one value. Let's keep using it.
Happy National Voters' Day. You're in Pune now, so shift your name on the roll before the next election.
Do
- Keep every message free of parties, symbols and candidates.
- Thank Booth Level Officers, polling staff, teachers and security personnel by name if you know them.
- Share the Commission's official channels for enrolment, not forwarded links.
Avoid
- Don't post a photo of a voter ID card with the number visible.
- Avoid shaming people who couldn't vote; migrant workers and people with disabilities often face real barriers.
- Don't mix the day up with Republic Day, which follows on 26 January.
Other days in the same week include National Girl Child Day on 24 January and Parakram Diwas on 23 January. For the Constitution's own anniversary, see Constitution Day.
How to wish someone on National Voters’ Day
A National Voters' Day wish should be about the vote itself, never about a party or a candidate. Congratulate first-time voters by name, thank the teachers and officials who run polling booths, and remind people to check their name on the roll. Keep it plain and non-partisan, especially at work and in family groups where politics divides.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is National Voters’ Day in 2026 and 2027?
National Voters’ Day is on 25 Jan every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
Why is National Voters' Day celebrated on 25 January?
National Voters' Day is celebrated on 25 January because the Election Commission of India was founded on that date in 1950, a day before the Constitution came into force. The Commission has marked its foundation day as National Voters' Day since 2011.
When was National Voters' Day first celebrated?
The first National Voters' Day was held on 25 January 2011, the Election Commission's 61st foundation day. It was started to raise enrolment among young people who had just become eligible to vote.
Can I apply for a voter ID at 17?
Yes. Since 2022 anyone aged 17 or above can apply in advance with Form 6, and their name is added to the electoral roll on the first qualifying date after they turn 18: 1 January, 1 April, 1 July or 1 October.
When was the voting age in India reduced from 21 to 18?
The voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 by the Sixty-first Amendment to the Constitution, passed by Parliament in December 1988. It came into force on 28 March 1989.
What is the Voters' Pledge?
The Voters' Pledge is a short oath from the Election Commission of India that citizens read on National Voters' Day. It commits them to uphold free, fair and peaceful elections and to vote without being swayed by religion, caste, community, language or any inducement.
Who can vote in India?
Any Indian citizen aged 18 or above on the qualifying date, and enrolled on the electoral roll of their constituency, can vote in Lok Sabha and assembly elections. The age limit is set by Article 326 of the Constitution.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .