VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the State government to introduce reservations for transgender persons in government employment within six months, delivering a landmark judgment aimed at addressing systemic exclusion and discrimination. The HC instructed authorities to consider the petitioner, a transgender woman, for the post of School Assistant (Hindi) for which she had applied.
Justice Nyapati Vijay, who pronounced the judgment, said the State carries a constitutional and moral obligation to uplift transgenders, who continue to face severe social and institutional discrimination. He observed that family rejection, humiliation, and psychological violence have pushed transgender persons out of the mainstream.
“It is essential to bring them back into the mainstream. For this, a comprehensive policy ensuring transformative opportunities is necessary. Providing special opportunities in government jobs is crucial,” the HC said.
Petitioner Rekha had applied for the posts of School Assistant (Hindi) and TGT (Hindi) in the recent Mega DSC recruitment and secured a rank of 671 in Eluru district. However, the notification did not earmark any posts for transgenders, leading to her exclusion from consideration. She approached the HC challenging the omission.
Advocate M Salman Raju, appearing for Rekha, argued that despite notifying 16,000 posts in the Mega DSC 2025, not a single post was reserved for transgender persons, in violation of the Supreme Court’s NALSA judgment.
The government’s counsel contended that reservation for transgender persons was a policy decision that the State had not yet taken.
After hearing both sides, Justice Vijay noted that transgender persons remain one of the most marginalised groups in the country and have historically been pushed to the periphery of society. Citing the NALSA judgment and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, the court expressed concern that many states have yet to implement reservations in jobs or education. The judgment recalled that HCs in Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala had directed their respective governments to provide reservations, which were implemented.
“Transgender persons are not only socially and economically backward but also a community completely neglected by society. States have a constitutional and ethical obligation to adopt special measures for their welfare,” the HC observed. sThe ruling is expected to influence the enforcement of transgender welfare measures in AP, especially in government jobs.