Empowering Voices: Electoral Assistance for Kolkata's Red-Light Districts

In a significant move, the West Bengal CEO's office set up camps to assist sex workers in Kolkata's red-light areas with electoral roll enumeration. This initiative addresses concerns of voter exclusion for those lacking ancestry proof, ensuring every eligible voter, including sex workers, is counted in the electoral process.

In a progressive initiative, the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's (CEO) office organized camps across three red-light areas in Kolkata to help sex workers with electoral roll enumeration forms.

Tuesday marked the beginning of similar camps in Sonagachi, Asia's largest red-light district. These efforts are designed to prevent voter exclusion for sex workers, who often face documentation challenges due to their personal histories.

More than 805 sex workers attended the camps in Sonagachi, voicing concerns over potential omission from the voter list due to lacking ancestral proof. The electoral office reassured the community, affirming no eligible voter would be left out.

(With inputs from agencies.)