Draft rules for reservation of transgenders in police to be placed before Karnataka cabinet: Govt tells HC
BENGALURU: The state government informed the Karnataka High Court that it will place the draft rules before the cabinet for approval to provide reservation to transgenders in for appointment to the police department at the earliest.
Advocate General (AG) Prabhuling K Navadgi made this submission before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Ashok S Kinagi in response to the notice issued to the state on a plea seeking reservation for transgendered persons in the appointment to the police department.
The petitioners contended that the state government has issued a notification calling applications for filling up of 2,672 vacancies for the post of Special Reserve Constable Force and Bandsmen in which men and women can apply but no provision was made for transgenders.
As per the judgement of Supreme Court in National Legal Services Authority v/s Union of India, the state must have a scheme for transgenders, they pleaded.
On the last date of hearing, the bench had also asked the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to explain why law laid down by apex court concering this reservation was not considered, after hearing the public interest litigation petition filed by Sangama, an organisation working for upliftment of transgenders and one Nisha Gulur, who is working towards transgenders.
In response to this, AG submitted that the chief secretary informed him that the state will be placing the draft rules before the cabinet for approval.
Recording the submission of AG, the bench adjourned the hearing to August 28.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 came into force in December 2019.
In the judgement, the apex court issued directions to the states to recognise employment, educational and other fundamental rights of the 'third gender'.