Big trouble for West Bengal’s transgender community! During the Election Commission of India’s special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls, many trans people are stuck, unable to prove who they are. This SIR exercise means everyone must show proof of identity, origin, and family background. But for transgender folks, who often face family rejection or live in rented places, this is very hard. Take Kabita, a 24-year-old transwoman. She ran away from home after years of abuse because her family even burnt her birth certificate when she decided to live her own life. She now fears to return home for the EC’s door-to-door verification, saying, “How will I prove my identity now? My family is asking me to come home for the EC’s door-to-door verification. But I feel it’s a trap and they are using the SIR process as an excuse to call me home so they can lock me up and probably abuse me more.” Then there is Ishan, a 40-year-old transman, whose partner lost her parents and grew up in a roadside shanty that got demolished. He wonders where she would find documents to prove her address or family history. Both he and his partner are losing sleep over this. Many trans people also worry about differences between their official documents and how they look now after gender transition. Ishan adds, “Those in the process of transition often face difficulty answering the barrage of questions from landlords and employers. ‘Why have you started growing a beard?’ ‘Why have you started dressing like a man?’ As if all that was not enough, now there is this SIR sword dangling over our heads.” The government’s transgender identity certificate, meant to help change names and gender officially in IDs like PAN, Aadhaar, and passports, sadly isn't listed by the Election Commission as a valid document for SIR. Koyel Ghosh, managing trustee of the transgender rights group Sappho for Equality, told The Hindu, “This anxiety over SIR and the whole process to prove our identity again is making us relive the past trauma. Most of us are living in a constant state of fear.” Around 250-300 people connected to her group have struggled to fill out the voter forms. Booth Level Officers on the ground have no answers, and even senior officials at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office say they don’t know how to solve this. Feeling invisible and trapped, many ask, “Are we not people of this country? Then who are we? Our parents do not want us, our country does not want us, where are we supposed to go?” These powerful words come from Kiaan, a 25-year-old transman, reflecting the deep pain felt by many. This isn’t just about voting. It’s about basic recognition and respect. The Election Commission’s well-intended SIR process is unfortunately causing the transgender community in West Bengal to relive trauma and fear losing their right to vote. The question remains: Will India’s democracy protect all its citizens, no matter who they are?