BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Legal Services Authority framed the “KSLSA (Legal Aid and Services to the Transgender Community) Sche-me2022” to provide free legal aid and services to the transgender community. Perhaps, KSLSA, with Justice B Veerappa — a High Court judge — as its executive chairman, was the first in the country to come out with this unique scheme for transgenders.
All legal service institutions are encouraged to appoint transgenders as paralegal volunteers (PLVs) if they are found suitable. “Statistics show that a minimal number of cases are filed by the transgender community or their access to justice is very minimal. This was also repeatedly stressed in the gender justice committee meeting that the transgender community is not able to avail legal benefits due to various reasons, such as affordability, getting a trustworthy advocate and not knowing their legal rights. Due to a lack of gender identity, they are further exploited.
It is only seen that they are fighting at their own level with various departments to gain access to ration cards, identity cards and voter IDs etc. The access to legal remedy is abysmal. However, most of
the cases are filed against them as they are seen as perpetrators of crime.
The transgender community must also be treated on par with other human beings of society. This scheme will help them access and achieve justice,” KSLSA said in the scheme statement. According to the data provided in the scheme, only 4, 1, 30, 6 and 5 transgenders were benefited through legal services authorities in the state as against total 341, 216, 348, 189 and 165 transgenders benefited, respectively, in the country during 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.