Kolkata, December 9: Hundreds of sex workers from Sonagachi, Asia's largest red-light district, attended Election Commission (EC) camps in Kolkata on Tuesday, expressing concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Many fear their names might be removed due to a lack of ancestry proof or lost family contact after being trafficked or abandoned.
"We’re being asked about families we had to forget," said one woman, fearing exclusion. The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Agarwal, assured that no eligible voter would be excluded. He confirmed that around 3,500 sex workers from the ward would be included soon, and names of those who voted in 2021 and 2024 would be protected by December 11.
For others lacking voter history, the CEO promised they could submit Form 6 with the necessary annexures from December 16 to ensure their inclusion in the final roll, which will be published on February 14. Agarwal emphasized the EC’s commitment to safeguarding the democratic rights of all legitimate residents, with verification assistance from residents and NGOs.
Agarwal visited the camp, personally reassuring sex workers, including a young mother trafficked years ago, emphasizing that the EC is dedicated to supporting vulnerable groups and ensuring their participation in the upcoming elections.
