Agartala: People of the third gender exercised their franchise for the first time in Tripura on Sunday.

According to the Election Commission, 11 voters identified themselves as the third gender for polling in Tripura in the first-ever attempt to come out in the open about their identity.

Nitai Paul aka Chumki, 40, from Aralia under Pratapgarh constituency, said it felt "very good" to vote for the first time. "We want peace and well-being for everybody. The government should do the same," Chumki said.

Chumki said transgenders are not given "respect" by society and that many of the third gender want to live and work like others. "We never had our own homes. Whichever party comes to power, we will be very happy if they give us plots to build homes," Chumki said.

The visible face of transgenders in Tripura has been vocal on the silver screen for quite some time in her struggle for rights of the third gender. Chumki realised "her different identity" when "she started understanding the world". Chumki's siblings and friends would not play with her and parents avoided her.

After casting vote at Hrishi Colony Anganwadi centre on the outskirts here, Chumki said transgenders or " hijra" as they are called often derogatorily, should be "accepted" in society.

"We were born like this. It's not our fault," Chumki said.