Kolkata, Dec. 9 (LatestNewsX) – On Tuesday, the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office set up a special outreach program for sex workers in Sonagachi, the state’s largest red‑light district. The initiative was aimed at helping around 12,000 residents in the area fill out the enumeration forms needed for the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal, along with other Election Commission officials, met a group of media representatives to explain the camp’s purpose. “Because these people are typically unable to reach us, we decided to come to their neighbourhoods and assist with the paperwork,” the CEO told the journalists. He added that if any participant lacks one of the 12 documents required by the commission, an exception can be considered.
The camp is slated to run for two days, and numerous sex workers—many of whom feel embarrassed about approaching authorities—will be encouraged to ask questions directly. Boasting the support of Booth Level Officers, the commission plans to help about 3,600 individuals who have not yet received forms get them completed and submitted.
Agarwal also highlighted special powers delegated to the commission to include women who were omitted from the 2002 roll but had voted in 2021 and 2024; their names will be added by Dec. 11. For those who missed any of those years but can provide other proof of citizenship, they will be guided to submit Form‑6 with supporting documents by Dec. 16, ensuring their names appear in the final roll due on Feb. 14. “Our goal is to leave no eligible voter out of the final list,” he said, underscoring a commitment to safeguarding every bona fide resident’s democratic rights.
The CEO assured that even if a voter cannot supply relatives’ documents, verification can be done through local residents and registered NGOs. In fact, three voluntary organisations—‘Society of Human Development and Social Action’, ‘Usha Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited’, and ‘Amra Padatik’—which support sex workers and their children, had already written to Agarwal describing the difficulties sex workers face with the enumeration process. They noted that many are frightened to fill out the forms and sometimes even leave the brothels out of fear. They asked the Election Commission to hold a camp to ease those anxieties and help them retain their place in the electoral roll.
After reviewing their concerns, the CEO’s office coordinated with District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers to carry out the special campaign in Sonagachi.
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