All three transgender candidates who contested the Lok Sabha elections have lost their security deposits, highlighting the challenges faced by the community in gaining political representation in the country.
India is yet to see a transgender person elected to the Lok Sabha. All the three transgender candidates contested as independents.
Sunaina Kinnar, who contested from Dhanbad, received 3,462 votes. Rajan Singh, a candidate from South Delhi, garnered 325 votes. Durga Mausi, who stood for election from Damoh (Madhya Pradesh), secured 1,124 votes.
Despite their efforts, none of the candidates came even close to winning, and all failed to retain their security deposits.
The Election Commission’s regulations stipulate that candidates failing to secure a minimum of one-sixth of the total valid votes polled would have their security deposits redirected to the treasury.
All three transgender candidates who contested the Lok Sabha elections have lost their security deposits, highlighting the challenges faced by the community in gaining political representation in the country.