Place transgenders as first among equals: Madras High Court to Tamil Nadu
Chennai: Observing that the aim of the government should be uplifting the third gender in every possible manner, the Madras High Court has strongly recommended the adoption of such a course and earnestly hoped that Tamil Nadu be the forerunner in placing those who have too long been tread upon as the least among us, as the first among equals.
A division bench comprising Justices C.T. Selvam and N. Sathish Kumar made the observations while disposing of an appeal filed by the Chairman, Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board.
Originally, a trangender filed a petition to quash an advertisement as far as not prescribing age limit for transgender and a direction to the authorities to allot one post under special category for secondary grade police constable for the selection year 2017-18. A single judge passed an interim order directing the TN Uniformed Services Recruitment Board to keep one post vacant and to entertain the application of the petitioner regardless the age of the petitioner, subject to the result of the petition. Challenging the same, the board filed the present appeal.
Declining to interfere with the order of the single judge, the bench requested the single judge to dispose of the petition as expeditiously as possible. The bench said a wholesome reading of the judgment of the Supreme Court in National Legal Services Authority Vs Union of India reveals that after the abject neglect and gay abandon of the third sex over the centuries finally has dawned upon the world community. Through the judgment, the Apex court has impressed upon the Nation the need to undo the wrong silently suffered by the third gender of the human race, which has for far too long been oppressed, suppressed and left depressed.
“If the judgment of the Supreme Court is seen in such light and if the intent behind the same is to be carried forward, then we see absolutely no reason why reservations in age permissible to destitute widows and ex-servicemen and the like should not be extended also to transgenders. This observation will be applicable in equal measure to each and every concession, relaxation of conditions made in any for of public employment”, the bench added.
