SIR: Special camps bring relief and clarity to Sonagachhi residents

Kolkata: The Election Commission on Tuesday launched three special assistance camps in Sonagachhi, the city’s largest red-light area. Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal visited the camps and interacted with the troubled residents. Shashi Panja, State Women and Children Development Minister also visited the camps and assured residents that “no legitimate voter would be left out in the process.”

Sonagachhi is home to nearly 10,000 sex workers, many of whom lack necessary documents or have lost contact with their families. Amid the ongoing SIR process, several expressed fear of losing their citizenship rights. To address these concerns, three camps were set up in wards 18 and 26, where Agarwal and other election officials interacted with workers and heard their problems.

Agarwal said: “According to the Constitution, the Election Commission can use special powers in special cases. We will use these provisions to protect our marginalised electors.” He also announced that similar special camps would soon be organised for orphanages, old-age homes and other vulnerable groups.

Tuesday’s camp operated from 11 am to 4 pm. An EC official noted: “Many women came to us on the first day. From just one camp, we distributed over 120 Form 6 applications (for new registration) and around 50 Form 8 forms (for correction, transportation of entry and issue of replacement of the existing voters).”

Among the cases was a worker from Machlandapur who last voted in 2003. Having lost all connection with her family, she now wishes to register at her current address. Another woman, aged 43, said she had never voted before but now wants to enlist herself and her son. Officials guided each applicant according to their specific needs.

Mahasweta Mukherjee, Advocacy Officer of an organisation working with sex workers, said: “Around 10 per cent of the area’s population already left in fear of detention.

These camps will help reduce that fear.”