Kolkata Sex Workers Fight for Voting Rights: Challenges and Solutions in Electoral Inclusion

Nov 16, 2025 05:25 pm CST

Sex workers in Kolkata's Sonagachi district face potential exclusion from voter rolls due to documentation challenges. The 12,000-member community, represented by the Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, has petitioned Bengal's electoral authorities for special verification camps to ensure their democratic participation. Many lack traditional documentation having lost family connections, despite possessing other government IDs since 2002. This struggle highlights broader electoral inclusion challenges as Bengal's Special Intensive Revision process moves forward.