Md. Palash Shekh, raised in a government-run orphanage in West Bengal, faces trouble registering to vote. The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls requires all voters to map their parents to the 2002 voter list. But orphans like Shekh have no proof of parents, placing them in the “unmapped” category. This has led to legal notices from poll officials. The rule applies to those born between 1987 and 2004, demanding documents of at least one parent. Children born after 2004 must provide proof of both parents. Despite having their own voter ID and Aadhaar cards, orphans cannot meet this criteria. Many raised in state shelters leave these homes at 18 without family support or documents. The Election Commission of India states that orphanages' names can be used in place of parents’ names, but there are no clear guidelines for this during the SIR. According to Article 53 of the Juvenile Justice Act, child care institutions must help with birth registration and identity proofs, yet many are left alone to handle voting registration once they turn 18. Case in point: Bharat Jatiya, raised in multiple shelter homes, holds official IDs and school certificates but can’t register as a voter because he must declare his parents’ names from 2002’s list. RIHR’s Vijay Goyal calls the situation the “unmapped trap,” urging the government to recognize these orphans as rightful citizens and voters. With nearly 3.7 lakh children living in around 9,500 child care institutions nationwide, thousands face similar challenges each year. The current rules risk disenfranchising vulnerable citizens who were born and raised in India but lack parental records.