MP govt grants permission to Ratlam woman constable to undergo Gender change

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 14 : Madhya Pradesh government on Monday granted permission to a woman constable, who is suffering from ‘Gender Identity Disorder’, posted to Ratlam to undergo ‘gender change’.
According to the letter issued by the state home department, the department received a letter from the police headquarters on June 15 this year stating about a woman constable requiring gender change as recommended by psychiatrist Dr Rajeev Sharma, New Delhi.
The woman was found suffering with disorder since childhood, stated the police headquarters letter. The woman constable submitted an application seeking permission to undergo gender change in 2021.
On February 15 this year, the home department issued directions to the civil surgeon for carrying out a medical examination of a woman constable before the district medical board.
The civil surgeon submitted a report dated April 20 to the department based on district medical board evaluation. The department also sought legal opinion from the law department on the woman constable application.
The Law Department stated, “The administrative department can take a decision on the application of the woman applicant at its own level. There is no legal obstacle in accordance with the judgement of the Supreme Court in NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) versus Union of India and others, 2014 to decide on the application. Further, in case a constable got the job being a woman, she wouldn’t be entitled for any benefits given to women after it.”
“Therefore, the state government hereby grants permission for gender change to the woman constable and after gender change, the woman constable will not be eligible for benefits provided to women employees,” the letter added.
Notably, it is not the first such incident in Madhya Pradesh. Earlier, a woman constable posted in the Niwari district received no objection certificate from the state government to undergo gender change in 2021.