Kolkata’s Sonagachi Sex Workers to Get Special Assistance Amid Voter Roll Verification Concerns

As fears rise over the ongoing Special Summary Revision (SSR) of electoral rolls, sex workers in Kolkata’s Sonagachi area are set to receive dedicated support from the Election Commission to address their unique documentation challenges.

A senior official from the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office told PTI that multiple organisations flagged that many sex workers in Asia’s largest red-light district cannot trace records from 2002—a mandatory requirement under the SSR process. The gaps are particularly acute for women who never lived with parents, were abandoned, or have lost family links.

“We have received reports that the sex workers are filling up the forms. If they need hand-holding, we will extend support. Many could not find linkage to the 2002 voter lists,” the official said.

To address the issue, the CEO’s office plans to organise special hearing camps in Sonagachi after the draft electoral rolls are published on December 9. “The Electoral Registration Officer will personally attend the camp to hear cases and resolve them on the spot,” the official added.

The move follows a letter from three organisations—Society for Human Development and Social Action, Usha Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, and Amra Padatik—warning that hundreds of sex workers risk exclusion due to the 2002-document requirement. The organisations highlighted that social stigma often prevents women from approaching family members for paperwork, and in some cases, parental identities are unknown.

Home to nearly 10,000 sex workers, Sonagachi has seen anxiety spread quickly over the requirement, as many cannot produce the requested documentation. The special camp is intended to verify applications during the hearing window (December 9–January 31) and ensure that genuine applications are cleared without delay.

Rights groups also pointed out that many sex workers already receive state welfare benefits, questioning why their citizenship status should be doubted. They hope the dedicated assistance camp will provide clarity and relief to residents anxious about exclusion from the voter list.