Madras High Court lauds Tamil Nadu govt’s steps for LGBTQIA+ community

A day after the State government amended Tamil Nadu Police Service Rules to protect the LGBTQIA+ community from the police high-handedness, the Madras High Court on Friday welcomed the move and lauded the steps taken by the government for ensuring the protection of people from the community.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh, who had issued several directions to redress the plights of this section of the society, expressed confidence that the community would not be harassed by the police anymore.

“I am really happy about the actions taken by the State government for protecting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ people. The amendment made in the TN Police Service Rules gives hope that the LGBTQIA+ people are in safe hands. It was a good decision to release a glossary for the media to address people from the LGBTQIA+ section. Media should use dignified expressions while addressing [them],” the judge noted.

Read: Don’t harass LGBTQIA members: Tamil Nadu to cops

The HC also appreciated the submission that police officials were undergoing sensitisation programmes regularly. Standing counsel for the Union government also submitted that the Garima Greh Shelter Scheme would be extended to the entire LGBTQIA+ community as per the recent direction of the High Court.

The judge also appreciated the efforts by the expert committee constituted by the National Medical Commission to look into rulings of the court on the need to modify the medical curriculum which teaches wrong notions about sexual orientation.

The State government also informed the court that it has sent the recently drafted transgender policy for the consideration of that community, and added that it would be released once the objections were rectified.