Lok Sabha Elections 2019: EC ropes in transgenders to motivate people to vote in north Delhi

The campaign by the transgenders was part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme of the Election Commission to encourage more transgenders to enrol as voters and exercise their franchise.

Six transgenders urged people in north Delhi on Sunday to vote in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Their campaign was part of the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) programme of the Election Commission to encourage more transgenders to enrol as voters and exercise their franchise.

EC’s step to rope in transgenders in its SVEEP programme in Delhi is to encourage more transgenders to enrol as voters and exercise their franchise. (Gurpreet Singh / HT Photo)

Armed with placards and wristbands promoting electoral participation, the campaign covered Azadpur, Jahangirpuri, Model Town before culminating at Guru Tegh Bahadur metro station. “We are not here to tell you which party you should vote for. But you must vote,” they said to passers-by.

“Initially we had started a special enrolment campaign for the transgender community earlier this month. Later, we thought we could ask them to volunteer as campaigners as well,” said Sanjay Ambasta, Nodal Officer, SVEEP, Chandni Chowk.

Rihana Yadav, a 27-year-old transgender woman who participated in the campaign, said she was happy to vote as a transgender for the first time. “We spoke to people from different sections of society, including students, women, and the elderly in markets, traffic signals and near metro stations,” she said.