Over 28,000 transgenders in electoral roll for LS elections

New Delhi: Nearly two years after the Election Commission introduced `others` gender option, over 28,000 transgender community members have registered in the electoral roll so far and will be eligible to vote in Lok Sabha election.

The Commission said a total of 28,314 such people have been registered in its roll till now. EC officials said with the last opportunity of enrolling in voters list being on March 9, the number could rise. The enrolment column depicts "Others" for transgender category of people apart from the regular options meant for `Male` or `Female` voters. This category was introduced by EC in 2012. The poll body, which announced the election schedule yesterday with the first polling day being April 7, said the country at present has a total electorate of 81.4 crore (ten crore more than the last Parliamentary elections) compared with 1.76 crore during the first Lok Sabha polls in 1952. "There has been a remarkable increase in the enrolment of electors in the age group of 18 to 19 years. Over 2.3 crore electors are in this age group. Electors in the age group of 18-19 years now constitute 2.88 per cent of total electors, against 0.75 per cent in 2009," it said. At present there are 11,844 overseas electors in the country and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) V S Sampath had said that all such voters who are in the country during the day of polling can vote. The EC also said there are approximately 9,30,000 polling stations/booth in the country at present as compared to 8,30,866 polling stations set up during 2009 Lok Sabha polls. "This marks an increase of nearly 11.9 per cent polling stations. This increase is largely due to rationalisation of polling stations, which the Commission undertook in the recent years," the latest EC data said. The Commission also said that by March 31 there will be more than 18.78 lakh ballot units placed inside polling booths for voters. It has decided to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in all the polling stations of the country as was done in Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and 2009. There are 14,68,430 control units and 14,95,430 ballot units available in the country. Apart from this, manufacturers have been asked to manufacture and supply 2,51,650 control units and 3,82,876 ballot units which are expected to be received by March 31. "With this, the country will have 17,20,080 control units and 18,78,306 ballot units. First level checking of the available EVMs has been started in all the states/UTs and has been completed in many places," the EC said. The poll panel will also deploy a number of Information Technology (IT) measures to conduct the election process. A public grievance number-- 1950-- has already been activated by the EC while it will begin SMS-based poll monitoring and election monitoring dashboard for officers at all levels.