HC takes stock of transgender toilet rights

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M Sundar on admitting a public interest litigation in this regard, said, “We feel that since a larger issue is involved, the prevalent practices in other parts of the country or any international norms in this behalf can be placed before us. We thus, appoint R Devaprasad, advocate, as Amicus in this matter.”

Directing the amicus to place all relevant materials before it on April 3, 2017, the bench also granted two months’ time to the State as sought by the government pleader to file the counter affidavit. The government pleader MK Subramanian told the court that the government is obtaining inputs from the Director of Social Welfare, which specifically deals with ‘third gender welfare’. 

The petitioner G Devarajan of Sembium had submitted that while there existed separate toilets for men and women in public places, there were no separate toilets for transgenders resulting them in being subjected to severe harassment. 

He also noted that in Chennai as well as other parts of Tamil Nadu where transgenders live in large numbers not even a single public toilet has been earmarked for their exclusive use.