'Others' voters increase by 15,306 in 5 yrs; activists blame paperwork, 'insensitive' officials
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 ..