TS CEO asks officials to encourage sex workers, transgenders to enrol in voter list

The Election Commission has asked officials not to insist for documentary proof while enrolling as voter.

Hyderabad: State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj has asked officials to encourage sex workers and transgenders to enrol themselves in the voter list.

Speaking at a video conference with 52 NGOs working to safeguard rights of sex workers and members of the transgender community here on Tuesday, Vikas Raj urged NGOs to enrol sex workers and transgenders who failed to enrol themselves during the Special Summary Revision (SSR) drive.

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He informed that the Election Commission has asked officials not to insist for documentary proof while enrolling sex workers. However the booth level officer would ascertain that the claimant actually resides at the place, mentioned in his or her Form 6, by visiting the given address and submit a verification report to the Electoral Registration Officer or Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, to this effect who will decide the case accordingly.

Later, during a meeting with the transgender community, the CEO took suggestions from the members of the Transgender Welfare Board as well as NGOs working with the transgender community to take steps to enroll eligible members of the community to enable them to exercise their voting right. The CEO stated that special campaigns at district level would be taken up to enrol those who had not yet enrolled themselves.