KOCHI: The transgender community has a reason to cheer as the Kerala High Court on Monday allowed a petition filed by Hina Haneefa, a transwoman and a degree student of Thiruvananthapuram University College, seeking her admission into the National Cadet Corps (NCC). The court also directed the NCC to amend in six months Section 6 of the National Cadet Corps Act and include transgender persons in the criteria for enrolment in the corps.
Justice Anu Sivaraman observed that Hina is entitled to enrolment in the NCC senior girls division and the rejection of her request was unsustainable. She is permitted to participate in the selection process on the basis of her application and if she is successful, she should be enrolled in the NCC unit of University College. The court held that the decision should be taken within a month.
Raghul Sudheesh, counsel for the petitioner, said the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, bans unfair discrimination against trans people in educational establishments. The court had earlier directed the NCC unit of University College to keep one seat vacant.