Number of transgender voters up by 300 in poll-bound MP
What's the story
The number of transgender voters has increased by over 300 in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh as compared to the 2013 state elections, an official said. The number of total voters registered in the state, where the Assembly elections are due later this year, stood at 4.94 crore as on July 31. Of these, 1,286 are from the third gender category, he said. Here's more.
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In last Assembly polls, 970 transgender voters were registered: CEO
"In the last Assembly polls, 970 voters of the third gender were registered. The number has now gone up to 1,286 in the recently published electoral rolls," MP's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) VL Kantha Rao said.
Transgender MLA
MP, first state to elect transgender as an MLA
Notably, Madhya Pradesh was the first state in the country to elect a transgender, Shabnam Mausi, as an MLA. Shabnam Mausi was elected from the Sohagpur Assembly constituency in Shahdol district in a by-poll in 2000. Before that, a person from the community was elected as a mayor in the state. The former independent legislator, however, feels that political parties often ignore the community.
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There's sizable number of third gender people in MP: Shabnam
"We don't have an estimate but there is a sizable number of third gender people in Madhya Pradesh. Political parties are not interested in them, which is the main reason for them not enrolling in the voters' list," Shabnam Mausi said.
Trans-gender voters
Bhopal Central Assembly constituency has highest number of transgender voters
The Election Commission's data available on its website says the highest number of third gender voters (94) is registered in the Bhopal Central Assembly constituency. However, there is not a single third gender voter registered in 23 out of the total 230 Assembly seats in MP. The total number of registered voters in MP has gone up to 4.94cr from 4.66cr in 2013.
Information
When was 'third gender' column introduced in application form?
The 'third gender' column was introduced in the voter enrolment application form in MP before of the 2013 state polls. Previously, it used to be marked as the column for 'others', Rao said.