An eunuch has moved the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) seeking the right to vote for his community and transgenders in the forthcoming state Assembly polls.
In the four-page complaint, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi termed the denial of Right to vote as gross violation of Human Rights in the state.
Supported by a group of four law students, Tripathi demanded that the state government should extend the fundamental right of voting to eunuchs and transgenders.
"There is a gross violation of the human rights of eunuchs in Maharashtra. We are not provided with ration cards and not permitted to vote," the complaint said.
The SHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary of the state government with a direction to ensure that departments concerned with ration cards and voter ID cards file their reply to the complaint by November 4.
The commission has also directed the state government to suggest in their reply affidavit steps being taken or to be taken with this regard.
"Tamil Nadu government has already issued ration cards to the eunuchs of that state. It is the only state to have recognised eunuchs as a different sex," said the complaint.
Tripathi further said that eunuchs in Maharashtra are deprived of life, liberty and dignity.
"If we (eunuchs) are not given a chance to lead a normal life then we are left with the ultimate choice of begging or prostitution to earn money," the complaint states.
The commission had directed the state government to file its reply to the complaint by August 24 but the government failed to do so following which they have been given time till November 4.
The students -- Niraj Marjadi, Dharampal Dave, Jay Vakil and Kushal Mehta -- had earlier this year, filed an RTI application before the Maharashtra State Election Commission seeking to know the rights accorded to eunuchs in the state.
"However, the election commission returned the RTI application back saying that they cannot reply to such applications," Dave said.
