Calcutta HC : ‘Give one percent reservation to transgender community in Bengal govt jobs’, High Court orders

Calcutta HC: The High Court directed the Chief Secretary of the West Bengal government to ensure one percent reservation for transgender persons in all types of public employment.

Published by: Nirmal Kant

‘One percent reservation for transgender community in Bengal govt jobs’, Calcutta High Court orders

The Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal government to ensure one percent reservation for transgender persons in all public jobs in the state. The court said that the state itself has adopted a policy of equal treatment in employment for transgender persons. However, the state has not yet made reservation for transgender persons as per the order of the Supreme Court.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the Chief Secretary of the West Bengal government to ensure one per cent reservation for transgender persons in all types of public employment. The High Court order was passed on a petition by a transgender person. The petitioner transgender person cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) 2014 and TET 2022, but was not called for counseling or interview.

Justice Mantha said in the order passed on Friday that the Supreme Court had held in a 2014 case that transgenders should be treated as “third gender” for the purpose of protecting their rights under Part-III of the Constitution. The apex court, while upholding the right of transgender persons to decide their own gender, had directed the Central and State Governments to grant legal recognition to their gender identity as male, female or third gender.

Justice Mantha also said that the apex court had directed the Central and State governments to take steps to treat them as a socially and educationally backward class of citizens and “extend all types of reservation in matters of admission and public appointments in educational institutions.”

Transgenders entitled to equal opportunity without any discrimination

The Chief Secretary of West Bengal informed the High Court that the State Department of Women and Child Development and Social Welfare had issued a notification on November 30, 2022, under which transgender persons are entitled to equal opportunity for employment without any discrimination.

Bengal Education Board should arrange counseling considering it a special case

Justice Mantha directed the Secretary of the West Bengal Primary Education Board to arrange for the interview and counseling of the petitioner as a special case.

Courtesy : Hindi News