State: Panel report on trans rules in 8 weeks

Mumbai: In what will come as good news for the transgender community, Advocate general Birendra Saraf, along with government pleader PP Kakade for the state, told the HC on Monday that “within one week, a committee will be formed to submit a report for transgender guidelines and the committee shall submit a report in eight weeks or two months”.
The HC bench of acting Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice Sandeep Marne was hearing a petition filed by Vinayak Kashid last year, from Satara, seeking compliance by the state of a landmark 2014 Supreme Court ruling in making and implementing a policy for transpersons in public jobs.Kashid was seeking a directive to Maharashtra State El-ectricity Transmission Co-mpany Ltd (MSETCL) to provide reservations in jobs for the transgender community.
On May 4, 2022, Kashid had come across an advertisement issued by MSETCL to recruit assistant engineers (transmission) on 170 posts, but noted it was in violation of the SC judgment in the National Legal Services Authority Vs Union of India case, which had recognised several rights for transgender community. The SC had ordered states to reserve some seats in government jobs for transgender persons.
With no reservations for the trans community and no response from the authorities, the petition was filed before the HC to address the violation of the community’s fundamental rights.
The petition, argued by advocate Kranti LC, was first heard last June by then Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Amjad Sayed. The HC had noted Kashid is aggrieved by non-compliance of the SC directions with regard to reservations for transgenders in recruitment. Last December, HC sought to know the state’s st-and on the transgender policy. The MSETCL had said the state has to file rules and that the reservation for hiring transgenders would depend on the state’s position.