Assam | 180 ‘third genders’ to head to polls in Phase-II of election

Guwahati, April 17, 2019:

The carnival of democracy has begun in great earnest in all pockets of the subcontinent India as approximately 90 crore voters are expected to exercise their democratic right to choose the leaders of the country during the seven-phase election.

Of the 90 crore who are expected to cast their votes, 38,325 belong to the transgender community. And of those 38,325 voters, 180 will be voting in Assam during the second phase of the elections in five Constituencies – Nowgong, Silchar, Karimganj, Mangaldoi, and Autonomous Council.

It may be mentioned that the Indian Government is taking steps to become ‘queer friendly’ as efforts are on to provide legal safeguards to these marginalized groups.

The Supreme Court read down Section 377 of the IPC on July 10, 2018, decriminalizing homosexuality, in a huge step towards equality in the country.

Altogether, 6,910,592 voters are expected to cast their votes in the second phase of the high-voltage election in Assam.