NEW DELHI:
Turnout
among third gender (TG)
voters
has seen a steady climb since the 2014 general
— when the EC started registering them as a separate category — with the phase-wise voting by TG electors in the current election so far fluctuating between 18.7% and 34.2%, as against 14.6% and 7% overall polling by TGs recorded in 2019 and 2014 respectively.
The EC’s efforts to make the 2024 general election more inclusive had started right from the voter registration stage. Thanks to its special focus on enrolling vulnerable sections like persons with disabilities, third gender, senior citizens and particularly vulnerable tribal groups, there was a 23% rise in total registered TG voters as compared to 2019 polls. A total 48,044 TG electors were in the roll as on March 16, 2024, up from 39,075 in 2019 and 28,527 in 2014.
Many third gender voters prefer to register as male or female voters, often due to fear of coming out, since electoral roll is a public document, and lack of social acceptance. However, with the EC having sensitised its machinery on the ground and growing societal acceptance, TG voters are coming forward to not only register as a separate category but also to cast their vote.
A look at the states/UTs that went to polls in a single phase — for which the gender-wise turnouts are available — shows the highest TG turnout in Goa at 75%, followed by Puducherry at 69.5%, Sikkim at 66.7%, Andaman and Nicobar at 50%, Andhra at 44.3%, Kerala at 40.9%, Tamil Nadu at 32%, Gujarat at 30.8%, Telangana at 30.2%, Uttarakhand at 29.5%, Delhi at 28% and Haryana at 18.2%.
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