KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: The transgender community in Odisha on Tuesday staged a protest outside the State Election Commission (SEC) office demanding five percent reservation in elections for local bodies.
A group of transgenders, under the aegis of T.G. Surakshya Trust staged the demonstration.
Later, a six-member delegation met the SEC secretary Rabindranath Sahu and deputy secretary Azad Hind Panigrahi and submitted a memorandum demanding reservation in seats in election for urban local bodies (ULBs).
Speaking to KalingaTV, T.G. Surakshya Trust president Menaka Kinnar said, “Though the Supreme Court has created the third gender status for the transgenders and asked all the state governments to bring them into the mainstream of the society, they are yet to access their political rights. Therefore, the state government should take immediate steps to provide 5 per cent reservation for transgenders in municipalities and Notified Area Councils (NACs).”
Ms Kalinga