Sex workers of this metropolis will be contributing to the election process with the Election Commission accepting their request to assist at some poll booths in the city.
Sex workers of this metropolis will be contributing to the election process with the Election Commission accepting their request to assist at some poll booths in the city.
"We have sounded the office of chief electoral officer expressing the wish that members of our organisation be inducted in the polling process in 17 Lok Sabha constituencies
spread over south and north Bengal," Swapna Gayen, executive committee member of Durbar Mahila Samanya Committee, an apex body of 65,000 registered sex workers in West Bengal, said.
Responding favourably to the proposal, the Election Commission has proposed that six sex workers may assist in the polling process in six booths in the Shyampukur assembly
segment of Kolkata North Lok Sabha constituency. Gayen said anticipating a favourable response, the committee has shortlisted a core team of 5000 girls for the 17
seats.
"We are anyway very happy and we are ready to depute the girls, but we have asked for some authorization document from the Election Commission so that our members don't face any problem during their stint at the booths," Gayen said.
She said they had volunteered to work not for any monetary gain, but would appreciate some letter or certificate to each girl after the process was over.
Recollecting that the CEO had facilitated the issuing of EPIC cards to sex workers based in Sonagachhi area, social activist and Durbar Liason Officer Mahasweta Mukherjee said, "I hope he will be as much positive to our girls this time as well, who are very much willing to do their bit for the world's biggest democratic exercise."
Living in the neighbourhood, they are also familiar with the people of the area and this can be put to use by the authorities, the academician-social activist said. Mukherjee said inducting sex workers in the conduct of poll process will also help in according recognition to their demand for equal rights as citizens.
Gayen said they had also got the signature from 35 Lok Sabha contestants, belonging to different parties, pledging to look into their demands for recognition as entertainment
workers and abolition of Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act. She said the act has several clauses causing harassment to the willing sex workers and replace it with another
legislation which can be used to prevent girl/child trafficking with active help from Durbar members.
"We had approached 55 candidates, in both ruling and opposition camps, all over the state with a memorandum containing these demands. While 35 of them put up their
signature, promising to look into the issue if elected, 20 others declined, she said.
Gayen said there are some candidates who had not put their signature. "But let us make it clear. Those not giving their signature will not get a single vote from the registered
and associate sex-worker members of Durbar and their families."
Besides women sexworkers, transgenders and gays would also be asked not to vote for unsympathetic candidates, she said without divulging their names.
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