After SC order, 5 states set-up Transgender Welfare Boards
Jan 21, 2025
New Delhi [India], January 21 : The state governments of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and Rajasthan have constituted Transgender Welfare Boards, the Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday.
This development came after the top court issued a notice in November last year to the governments of various states, seeking their responses on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea regarding the establishment of Transgender Welfare Boards to address the social welfare issues of the transgender community.
A Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti was also informed that the Union of India and some of the respondent state governments are yet to file their responses in compliance with the court's direction.
The court noted that these responses had not been filed despite several adjournments being granted in the matter. Consequently, it directed the states to file their responses within six weeks.
Additionally, the court stated that if the respondent states fail to comply with this direction, they will be liable to pay a cost of Rs 40,000 to their respective legal aid cells.
The court scheduled the next hearing in the matter for six weeks from now.
The PIL was filed by the Kinner Maa Eksamajik Sanstha Trust in 2021, seeking the court's direction to the Centre and state governments to establish Transgender Welfare Boards for the welfare of transgender persons. The plea highlighted various challenges faced by the transgender community, including discrimination, unemployment, homelessness, and lack of access to educational and medical facilities.
Advocates Narender Kumar Verma and Jaya Sukin represented the Kinner Maa Eksamajik Sanstha Trust.
