New Delhi: The number of transgender voters enrolled in ‘others’ category in the electoral list has not seen much increase since the 2014 general elections.
According to data provided by the Election Commission, the number of voters enrolled in the “other” category now stands at 38,325, an increase of 15,306 in the last five years. The poll panel had since 2012 allowed registration of transgender persons as ‘others’ in the electoral rolls. Transgender activists claim the figure is quite low compared to their population, as many of them still refrain from enrolling themselves in the voters list as ‘others’.
Though the 2011 census puts the population of transgenders at around 4.9 lakh, activists claim it is much higher than that.
Besides social stigma, they claimed that the tedious process of furnishing documents to validate a transgender person’s identity is another reason behind the community’s low enrolment in the voters list. A number of documents are required to be furnished to prove one’s identity while enrolling in the list.
It becomes a difficult process for the transgender community members as many of them don’t possess the documents and certificates, said Anindya Hajra, a transgender activist at Pratyay Gender Trust.”Insensitivity of the officials and the herculean paperwork can double or triple the pain of transgender people if not heighten their anxiety, social humiliation and dysphoria. Thus many prefer not to undergo this ordeal,” Hajra said.
“Transgenders face similar problem while applying for passports also. Medical certificates of a gender transition is sought despite the 2014 NALSA verdict that states that self-identifying as transgender is not necessarily tied to a case of medical transition,” the activist said.
Also, there are many who registered themselves either as male or female many years ago and changing their gender in the voter ID card will require them to go through a lot of steps, Hajra said.
Echoing similar sentiments, Gauri Sawant, who runs Sakhi Char Chowghi, an NGO in Maharashtra, said many transgenders run away from their homes at an early age and do not possess birth certificates or address proofs.
