New Delhi: Odisha witnessed a rise in third-gender voters exercising their franchise during the recently-concluded four-phase general elections. According to a report on voter turnout released by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday, the state saw participation of 22.92 per cent transgenders who had enrolled to vote in the polls. This time, 3,438 electors were enrolled in the third gender category in the electoral list of whom 787 voted.
The percentage was just 9.82 in the 2019 general elections. Back then, 2,923 voters were listed in the transgender category of whom 287 had cast their vote.
The ECI categorised transgenders as the ‘third gender for the first time in 2014 after the Supreme Court granted them legal recognition. At least 1,187 transgender voters from the state were enrolled then. However, only 34 votes (3 per cent) were cast under this category.
Even nationally, the 2024 Lok Sabha polls saw a higher turnout of third-gender voters compared to the 2019 elections, according to Election Commission (EC) data. In 2024, the third gender voter turnout was 25 per cent while it was 14.58 per cent in the last election. The EC has released phase-wise data for the just-concluded seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, PTI reported.
In the first phase of the 2024 elections held on April 19, the turnout of third-gender voters was 31.32 per cent. It was 23.86 per cent in the second phase held on April 26, 25.2 per cent in the third phase held on May 7, 34.23 per cent in the fourth phase held on May 13, 21.96 per cent in the fifth phase held on May 20 and 18.67 per cent in the sixth phase held on May 25.
The final and seventh phase of the polls held on June 1 saw a 22.33 per cent third gender voter turnout.
According to the 2011 census, there are 4,87,803 transgenders in the country.
