CHENNAI: The State government on Monday informed the Madras High Court that a draft policy for transpersons was being circulated to various government departments and will be finalised in four weeks. Additional Advocate General (AAG) S Silambanan made the submission before Justice N Anand Venkatesh when matters relating to LGBTQIA+ came up for hearing.
Accordingly, the judge fixed four weeks as outer time limit for the publication of the Transgender Persons Policy and the concerned department shall report compliance. Referring to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, the AAG submitted that the rules are being finalised and will be published within four weeks.
Silambanan promised the court that the sensitisation programme for school teachers would commence in a week's time and be completed in four weeks. However, the judge questioned him about the delay in holding the programme. The AAG said that simplification of a glossary of terms relating to the LGBTQIA+ community was being undertaken in consultation with dictionary experts, and the Tamil Etymological and Dictionary Project Department.
Meanwhile, the senior panel counsel for the Centre informed the court that training for the sensitisation of the different stakeholders of school education on the NCERT manual will commence from the upcoming academic session.
The counsel for the National Medical Commission (NMC) said the court order dated July 7, 2022 was being followed up and the suggestions given by the counsel for the petitioner was taken into consideration. A draft note was prepared, and issued to all stakeholders and four weeks time was sought to file a status report. The judge adjourned the matter to August 22.