Only 27% of registered third gender electors voted in 2024 LS polls: Election Commission

New Delhi: More people enrolled themselves in the voters' list for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in the 'third gender' category but only 27 per cent of them turned up at the polling stations, according to Election Commission data.

According to the data issued by the poll authority last week, 48,194 people were eligible to vote as third gender elector in 2024, compared to 39,075 in 2019 -- an increase of 23.5 per cent over the five-year period.

But only 13,058 of them actually exercised their franchise, which comes to 27 per cent of the total registered third gender electors.

As per the data, Tamil Nadu had the highest number of registered third gender elector -- 8,467. But only 2,709 cast vote.

Their overall participation in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was 14.64 per cent -- almost half as compared to the latest parliamentary polls.

There have been reports that several enrolled third gender voters have expressed reluctance to queue up at polling booths, claiming that they are viewed with disdain and repeatedly asked by security personnel to prove their identity.

Those willing to register themselves in the third gender category have to fill the gender as 'O' (others).