The 'Other' problem: 250 third-genders fall in Bengal's SIR gap, set to lose voting rights

KOLKATA: The names of as many as 250 persons belonging to the 'other gender' category have been deleted from Bengal's draft SIR list, primarily because they were 'untraceable' or 'absent'. There were 1,811 names of 'other gender' individuals - a marginalised group - on the 2025 voters' list before the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll began on Nov 4 last year, an analysis of the draft list by Sabar Institute shows.

Experts flagged structural barriers faced by transgender people and members of other gender minority groups in exercising their voting right as the reason behind the deletion of names.




"'Other gender' persons are among the most marginalised communities and are frequently disowned by their families at an early age, limiting their access to identity documents, stable housing and formal records," said Ashin Chakraborty, who conducted the study along with Souptik Halder and Sabir Ahamed. Chakraborty. "This might have stood in the way of transgender people and gender diverse citizens submitting SIR form or figuring out their linkages with parents (on the 2002 voters' list). That could have resulted in deletions due to being 'untraceable' or 'absent'."

Chakraborty said the documentation-heavy verification criteria being followed by Election Commission, though aimed at ensuring roll integrity, risks disproportionate disenfranchising of the "already excluded population". Ahamed stressed the need for a more inclusive and rights-sensitive electoral process.

'SIR exercise has created a culture of threat, uncertainty'

The deletions are concentrated in a few assembly constituencies, mostly in districts and on the outskirts of Kolkata, the study shows.

The maximum number of deletions -16 - was reported from Kharagpur Sadar, followed by Katwa (12) and Uluberia South (11), according to the study. Panskura West saw eight deletions; Habra, Bagnan and Jhargram six each; and Baruipur West, Sonarpur North and Entally five each. "These assembly constituencies account for nearly one-third of all such deletions in the state," said Ashin Chakraborty, who along with Souptik Halder and Sabir Ahamed, conducted the study.

In Kolkata, Ballygunge recorded three deletions and Shyampukur, Bidhannagar, Behala West and Kasba two each. There was one deletion each in Maniktala, Kashipur-Belgachhia, Beleghata and Behala East. "Kolkata saw fewer deletions possibly because NGOs and organisations helped people with the paperwork. In districts, the paperwork is a challenge for people from marginalised gender groups," Haldar said.

Trans civil rights activist Anurag Maitreyee said, "In many cases, the enumeration form has gone to their natal families, from whom they have been displaced. So, they did not get the form. Getting a birth certificate and domicile certificate is not possible as families often destroy the papers or refuse to part with them. For persons who have undergone gender affirmation surgery and social transition, their appearance and photos will not match with that from 2002."

Another transgender activist, Sintu Bagui, said, "The document-heavy SIR exercise has created a culture of threat, fear, insecurity and uncertainty."