Transgender becomes Nawanshahr icon to mobilise masses for voting

Tribune News Service
Nawanshahr, March 19

Taking a leap ahead in awareness activities under the Systematic Voter Education and Electoral Participation Programme (SVEEP), Nawanshahr has taken a path-breaking initiative of roping in transgender voters by designating one among them - Preeti Mahant - as the district icon.

After flagging off an awareness march of transgender voters here today, Additional Deputy Commissioner-cum-Nodal Officer, SVEEP, Anupam Kler, said: “As per guidelines of the ECI, we are trying to capture those people who have been ignored despite their contribution to democracy. To make them feel important and exercise their voting rights, we have designed a number of activities under SVEEP to make people aware of their voting rights.”

Kler said: “We have nominated a district icon from the transgender fraternity to bring them into the mainstream of society for strengthening democracy.”

He added that as many as 17 transgender voters had been identified so far and an awareness march taken out today was a part of the SVEEP activities to promote them for voting.

“Similarly, we are going to organise sports event for persons with disabilities tomorrow, with events such as wheel chair race for males and females, lemon race, brail-reading competition and a skit, especially prepared for such people on the ITI ground, Nawanshahr,” she added.

Kler said the main aim was to sensitise voters by different ways and activities. Today, these voters were called at a meeting hall and they were apprised of the functioning of EVMs and VVPAT. Afterwards, they were taken to the Sewa Kendra for signing a pledge to vote.

An awareness march was taken out with participation of these transgender voters and students of the local ITI that ended at Barandari Garden here.