Bengaluru: With less than a few weeks left for the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections – slated for May 10 – efforts are on to make every vote count by the Election Commission of India. And not to be ignored, special endeavours are being put in place to bring the marginalised and neglected transgender community to the forefront to ensure that they exercise their rights as the citizens of this country, than ever before.
Until, 2009, only a few transgenders exercised their voting rights as male or female, as per their chosen identity. But in 2012, the Election Commission of India added a new column ‘Others’, so that transgenders could enroll in voters’ list to claim their right as the citizens of this country without hesitation. The transgender community is known by various names Mangalamukhi, Jogappa, Hijra and Shivashakti in various parts of the State. The community still faces lot of hatred and discrimination in the society forcing them to stay away from the democratic process. However, over the years, there has been a considerable change in terms of awareness among the community.
As per the 2011 census data, the total number of transgender population in the country stood at 4,87,203. During the 2019 elections, only 40,000 transgender community members registered as voters in the country – a meagre 10 per cent of their total population.
Closer home in Karnataka, as per the data provided by the Election Commission (2023), there are 42,756 transgender community members of which the registered voters are 41, 312 in the State. While the number of transgender community members could be way too high, as no census has been conducted of late, the number of participation of these members in the election process is quite disturbing.
In fact, transgender voters have increased from 4,552 in 2018 to 41,312 in 2023. In 2018 Assembly elections, there were 4,552 transgender voters. Their numbers went up in 2019 Lok Sabha elections – 4,839 ‘others’ voters. But what is disturbing is their turnout percentage.
For, in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, only 11.49 per cent of the registered ‘others’ voters had turned up to vote. This was quite better when compared to 2014 voter turnout. For, only 4 per cent of their registered voters out of the 3,890 ‘Others’ came out to vote in 2014 elections.
As per reports, as many as nine constituencies did not register a single vote from these category of voters.
The dip in the number of their turnout could be due to lack of voter identity cards or general awareness among the community. One of the major reasons that prevent them from getting enrolled as voters is lack of documents. Since they are known by different names after changing their identity, it becomes difficult for them to get registered as voters, says Pranati Prakash, a transgender activist in Mysuru.
Besides, the community members need to obtain their school certificates as a proof for their changed identity. This has been the major challenge in the process of their enrolment as they fear to face the society of their ‘earlier life’, she pointed out. While the community members in urban areas could somehow manage, the plight of those in rural areas is pathetic. With no education and support, they continue to remain unaccounted for most of their lives, she added.
With an aim to reach out to the community, the Election Commission, for the first time has chosen ‘Jogati Manjamma’ transgender activist and Padma Shri awardee as one of the poll icons to motivate the community to come out and vote. “This is really a good move by the Election Commission,” says Pranati.
Despite the awareness created by the authorities concerned, there is a dip in their turnout. In 2019 elections, almost 96 per cent of them remained absent from voting, speaks volume of the attitude of the society towards these sexual minorities.
“It has been more than 12 years, since I have voted in the elections. I do have the voter identity card but somehow, I stop myself from being subjected to the degrading gaze of the public,” says Pranati Prakash.
Pranati who earlier worked in Ashodaya, a NGO had maintained a database of all sexual minorities of Old Mysuru region. But after that organisation shut office, she has been running her own organisation that help many like her to get various benefits.
“We have been facing discrimination in the society. We have not yet got the societal acceptance. With lack of documents and no support from the society, many of my friends stay away from participating in the democratic festival,” says Pranati.
Understanding the need for political participation to bring in empowerment among the community, Pranati even tried her hands at politics. She was associated with a political party where she had hoped to do something good for her fellow members. But, she claimed that, within six months of her ‘new journey’ she came out and has been on her own. Ask her the reason, pat comes the answer. “Ground realities are quite different.”
Referring to her fellow community member, Chandini, (Aslam Pasha), who unsuccessfully contested as an independent candidate in Mysuru, Pranati said that the community has still not been accepted by the society, leave alone contesting the election. “It is good to listen to those political speeches that the community should be politically empowered. But where’s the acceptance in the society,” she asks.
Despite the government jobs having a reservation for sexual minorities, the number of transgenders occupying the government jobs could be counted in numbers, she said referring to the society’s apathy towards the community. However, she said that this time around, she is also taking extra effort to create awareness among her community members about voting rights.
Akkai Padmashali, a prominent face of transgender rights in the State and the youngest recipient of Rajyotsava Award observed that transgenders could be 10 per cent of the State’s total population. However, there has been no census conducted so far, she observed.
She further said that the authorities need to redefine their strategies to reach out to the community members. While there is awareness among urban community members, those in the rural areas are still not aware of their rights as a citizen, she said.
Through her organisation, ‘Ondede’, she has been busy holding awareness camps and sessions to the community members on voting rights. She just finished an awareness camp at a college in Bengaluru and was on her way to Davangere to reach out to her fellow members.
Speaking on the election commission’s initiative to provide separate booths to help the transgenders to come out and vote, Pranati said that this is welcoming. This will help many of the community members to come out and vote, as they will have none to feat in the booth. This is a positive move by the commission, she said.
But Akkai Padmashali, who hates sympathy and has been fighting for the inclusion of the community members as ‘rightful human beings’ did not appreciate the idea. “This will further divide us from the society, when we want to be one among the society,” said Akkai Padmashali.
But in larger perspective, this could be a small step in encouraging the transgender community to reclaim their right as the citizens of India and to ensure, even they have a say in the electoral process.