Indian court rejects eunuch mayor

A court in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has nullified the election of a eunuch as the mayor of the city of Gorakhpur, ruling that he was a man and hence had acted illegally in contesting the election as a woman.

The mayor, Amarnath Yadav alias Asha Devi, had contested the Gorakhpur municipal elections as an independent candidate, from a constituency reserved for women.

He defeated rivals from all other political parties and was elected mayor in November, 2000.

A rival candidate, Anju Chaudhari, had challenged the election in court.

Amarnath Yadav told reporters he would appeal against the order in the state high court.

Eunuchs are socially ostracised in India, and it is highly unusual for one of them to win any form of recoginition in mainstream society.

Most dress up as women and, somehow, eke out a precarious living.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service