Supreme Court forms committee to ensure equal job opportunities, inclusive medical care for transgender persons

In an important verdict augmenting rights of transgender persons, the Supreme Court on Friday constituted a dedicated committee headed by a retired High Court judge to enable and facilitate equal opportunities at work, inclusive medical care and protection for gender non-conforming persons.

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan said that the judgment hopes to secure the future of third gender.

The committee will be headed by retired Justice Asha Menon and will comprise transgender activists Grace Banu and Akai Padmashali, Gaurav Mandal, CLPR Bengaluru member, Dr Sanjay Sharma, and the amicus will be Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari.

"The committee to look at equal opportunities, inclusive medical care, protection for gender non conforming persons. We have awarded compensation to the petitioner considering how her services were terminated. We hope the future of the third gender is secure with this. We have framed guidelines and any Institutions which does not have guidelines shall follow the same till Centre brings a policy," the Court said.

The Court delivered the ruling while awarding compensation to a transwoman whose appointment as a teacher was terminated by two private schools in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat because of her gender identity.

She had earlier told the Court that she was given a letter of appointment in Uttar Pradesh but could only teach there for six days.

In Gujarat as well, she was given the letter of appointment but not allowed to join.