Election Commission in 2009 recognized third gender as minority, however

nothing has been done in this regard.

Even as transgenders have been given official recognition as the third gender by Election
Commission of India in 2009. Which was followed by 2014 Supreme Court ruling that granted
them recognition as the third gender community.

In most cases, the voter id card is issued under the categories of men and women, even though
there is a third category of gender. In most cases, tansgenders do not change their status on
voting id cards due to family pressure. There is census to determine the exact number of
transgenders. In the Punjab, there are more than 20,000 transgenders. Things have changed but
the community still has a long way to go, ”said Dhananjay Chauhan, president of Saksham Trust,
an NGO that works for the LGBT community.1

If we take example of West Bengal, out of 6.5 crore registered voters in West Bengal, a nominal
758 are from the third gender. Election Commission officials say they have tried their best to
ensure that all voters in the sector are put on a separate list.

“We encourage them. They can include the third gender as candidates and voters in the third
gender category. But we have noticed that they do not want to say the third gender even though
we ask them to do so,” Amitjyoti Bhattacharya, Deputy Chief Electoral Oicer, told PTI here.

Ranjita Sinha, who heads the Association of Transgender / Hijra in Bengal (ATHB), said public
affairs prevented them from going public “Many members of the transgender and hijra
community were forced to register themselves as male or female voters when faced with the
challenge of gaining recognition as a third party. Many were registered as men or women many
years ago. Now how will they change their gender on the voters' ID card," the activist said.
transgender we asks.2

An EC official said the community is slowly opening up as public acceptance is increasing.

1
The ‘other’ side: Of 273 enrolled transgender voters in Punjab, only 14 from Mohali district, (13 th January 2017),
https://www.hindustantimes.com/punjab/the-other-side-of-273-enrolled-transgender-voters-in-punjab-only-14-from-
mohali-district/story-JbZITa1BU0VbBNVJe2EpMM.html
2
Third gender yet to get proper representation in voter’s list, (1 st April 2016),
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/third-gender-yet-to-get-proper-representation-in-
voters-list/articleshow/51646168.cms?from=mdr
“We have congratulated our district officials and all the officials in charge of caring for the third
party sex during the voting process and the preparation of the voters’ roll. I can assure you that
there is no discrimination from our side,"

Shabina Khatoon, a saleswoman who lives at a hostel in Kokkata, said she was concerned about
the harassment and harassment of some voters as they stood in line to vote.

“People are passing on dirty ideas and making fun of us. It is difficult to stand in line alone to
vote. We will only get our rights if people stop discriminating against them," he said.
Transgender activists say there may be up to five lakh voters from the province. Both nominated
by Ram Vilas Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party, two transgender parties contested the top seats
in Kolkata - Bhawanipore and Jadavpur.

During the 2014 Lok Sabha vote it was the first time that transgenders and eunuchs were
considered third-party sexes after the Electoral Commission accepted them as “others”.3

Over 66% of the population identified as third gender lived in rural areas of India, very close to
the 69% of the overall population that lives in villages. The census data also revealed the low
literacy level in these community, just only 46%, compared to 74% literacy in the general
population of the country. The literacy rate is also one of the important reasons of less
participation in voting.4

There’s more than 10 years of passing of this law. But, despite of that very low participation of
third gender community in India. This law will only work, when Supreme Court pass any such
bill which recognizes all kind of rights & which uplift the societal value of third gender. It’s need
of hour.

3
Ibid.
4
First count of third gender in census: 4.9 lakh, (30 th May 2014), https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/First-
count-of-third-gender-in-census-4-9-lakh/articleshow/35741613.cms