Eunuchs and sex workers in Bangalore seek voter cards

Eunuchs and sex workers in Bangalore appear to be making a determined bid to exercise their franchise.

A group of eunuchs or transgenders and sex workers in Bangalore recently went to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Bangalore and put forward a strong claim for their inclusion in the electoral rolls for the ensuing elections to Karnataka Assembly.

“I have been living in Bangalore for the last 20 years, but I still don’t have a voter’s identity card. When I apply for the card, they ask me which category they should add me in – man or woman?”, a transgender activist Sahana told reporters.

But, the Election Commission officials contend that it was not the gender issue that prevents them from issuing them voter identity cards, but their address. For, the transgenders are known to keep shifting their residences very often.

The Karnataka Sex Workers’ Union told the Election Commission that there are more than 1,000 transgenders and sex workers in Bangalore, who have not received their voter cards.
But, Chief Electoral Officer of Karnataka M N Vidyashankar has assured the transgenders and sex workers that their names will be on electoral rolls if they fill up the forms with all the relevant details before the deadline for issuing voters cards lapses