The Supreme Court on Friday formed a committee to ensure protection of rights of transgender persons in India and issued some guidelines.
The order issued by a bench headed by Justice JB Pardiwala said that the said committee, which will be headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice Asha Menon, will consider issues related to equal opportunities, inclusive medical care and protection for gender disparity and gender diverse individuals.
The committee will include transgender activists Grace Banu, Akai Padmashali, CLPR Bengaluru member Gaurav Mandal and Dr Sanjay Sharma of the Association for Transgender Health in India.
The apex court has appointed senior advocate Jayna Kothari as amicus curiae to assist the court in this regard. The court has also framed certain guidelines to ensure protection and inclusion of transgender persons, and directed that institutions which do not have their own policies should follow these guidelines, until the Central government formulates a comprehensive national policy.
“This will go a long way in protecting the rights of transgender persons. We are hopeful that this judgment will secure the future of the third gender,” Justice Pardiwala said while delivering the judgment. The apex court’s verdict came on a petition filed by a transgender woman, whose appointment as a teacher was terminated by two private schools in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat respectively because of her gender identity. The apex court, while ruling in favor of the transwoman, took into account the loss suffered by her due to her termination from her job. Ordered for compensation. The apex court also said that it has taken serious cognizance of the manner in which the petitioner was fired by both the private schools.
