BHUBANESWAR: Members of the Third Gender community on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking five per cent reservation for them in the Parliament as well as State Assembly.A delegation met Joint Chief Electoral Officer Bhabani Prasad Ray and said although the ECI had recognised the Third Gender five years back, no electoral reservation has been made so far.
According to president of All Odisha Kinnar and Third Gender Mahasangha Pratap Sahu, members of the community are suffering because of lack of representation. Even though they want to contest the polls, the political parties do not encourage them. “Just like the way women, SC/ST members have reservation, the Third Gender must also be entitled to similar provisions. At least five per cent of the seats must be reserved for them,” Sahu said.
The body has also demanded that special camps be organised to provide voter ID cards to the Third Gender community. President of Third Gender Surakhya Trust Menaka Kinnar was also part of the delegation.
Source: The New Indian Express
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