The voter ID scheme will be trialled in 18 areas of Britain. (Representational Image)
In a bid to counter electoral fraud, British government today announced plans to pilot a scheme under which voters would be required to show photo IDs at polling stations during local elections in 2018.
The voter ID scheme will be trialled in 18 areas of Britain which have been identified by police and the Electoral Commission as being "vulnerable" to voting fraud, including Bradford and Birmingham.
The pilot schemes will be implemented during local elections in May 2018 before they are rolled out nationwide.
The move is aimed at preventing anyone fraudulently taking another person's ballot paper.
"The government's view is that electoral fraud is unacceptable on any level. I want to protect the right of everyone to have their say and participate in our democracy," said UK Constitution Minister Chris Skidmore.
"That is why the new measures we are announcing today will protect anyone who is at risk of being bullied, undermined or tricked out of their vote and their democratic right. By eliminating fraud and tackling improper practises, we are ensuring the integrity of our electoral system while building a clear and secure democracy that works for everyone," he said.
A full list of the participating councils has not been released, but the government wants to use the pilot scheme to see if it should be rolled out across the whole country.
Different councils will trial different types of photo IDs, including driving licences, passports or utility bills to prove addresses.
The creation of a new form of ID, specifically for voting, has been ruled out by ministers.
Northern Ireland already requires voters to show ID before casting their ballot.
The UK government will also introduce legislation to ban political campaigners from handing in large numbers of completed postal ballots on election day.
It comes after concerns that activists are "harvesting" votes to boost support.
Ministers are also prepared to raise the maximum sentence for electoral fraud from two years to 10 years to act as a "deterrent".