Determined to reverse the trend of low voter turnout, Gonda administration in Uttar Pradesh has come out with a unique inclusive initiative: It has roped in transgender as polling booth ambassadors. The brainchild of District Magistrate Neha Sharma, the novel idea engaging the third gender has been met enthusiastically from the transgender community too as well as senior officials and law enforcement authorities which have now chalked out a comprehensive strategy in this regard.
From composing catchy songs to staging street plays, transgender ambassadors have been asked to leverage their creativity and enthusiasm to educate the public and shed light on their long standing demands as well.
Polls will be held on May 20 in the phase five in the district which is home to 25.30 lakh registered voters, including a small contingent of 94 third-gender individuals. Located approximately 120 km from Lucknow, Gonda has faced persistent challenges with low voter participation compared to the State average.
However, now with the involvement of the transgender in the poll process, the district officials are hoping to bring the voters to the polling booth and exercise their electoral rights. “This initiative capitalises on the unique perspective and outreach potential of the transgender community to raise awareness about the importance of voting and encourage public participation,” Amruta Soni, a Government officer and transgender spokesperson told a news agency here.
She lauded the initiative’s transformative impact, emphasising its potential to promote inclusivity and recognition of transgender rights. Gonda’s Chief Development Officer M Arunmozhi echoed her sentiments, highlighting the initiative’s broader mission of empowerment and engagement with marginalised groups.
Importantly, the transgender community’s involvement in the voter awareness campaign remains non-partisan, underscoring their commitment to fairness and transparency. While amplifying civic engagement, they have made it clear that there was no question of endorsing any political parties, emphasising their dedication to a neutral and equitable electoral process.
Gonda’s Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal was of the opinion that the sensitisation efforts will also help address the diverse challenges faced by the transgender community, including healthcare and access to Government schemes.
This collaborative endeavour represents a significant step towards fostering a more inclusive and participatory democracy in Gonda.
In fact, it’s not just Gonda which is grappling with poor interest among voters to cast their rights. At least a total of 266 parliamentary constituencies (215 rural & 51 urban) in the country have been identified with low voter turnout.
The CEC emphasised on a three pronged strategy of providing facilitation at polling stations like queue management, shelter parking in congested areas; targeted outreach and communication; and involvement of critical stakeholders like RWAs, local icons and youth influencers to persuade people to come to polling stations.
According to the EC, approximately 297 million eligible voters did not vote in the Lok Sabha polls 2019. Furthermore, recent elections across various States have highlighted trends of urban apathy towards the electoral process, warranting targeted interventions and collaborative endeavours, the EC has noted.
