The Patna High Court issued notice to the State Government on a plea seeking financial assistance to the members of Transgender Community owing to their pitiable state of affairs amid COVID-19 lockdown.
The bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Karol & Justice S.Kumar, was hearing a petition filed by Veera Yadav highlighting the plight of transgenders amid COVID-19 lockdown and praying for financial assistance to the members of the community.
The bench considering the significance of the matter, impleaded the Union of India through the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, through its Secretary.
The bench further observed that the petitioner had invited the Courts attention towards the pitiable state of affairs of the transgender in the State of Bihar and the community was allegedly being ostracized, more so in the times of the current outbreak of pandemic COVID-19.
However, the Advocate General appearing for the State of Bihar clarified “that the Government has made provision for providing ration to all the members of the community in the State of Bihar, irrespective of the fact as to whether they are possessing any ration card or not.”
The bench observed that “The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 was enacted to provide for protection of rights of transgender persons and their welfare and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto. As per the Act, no person or establishment shall discriminate against a transgender in the matter of education, employment, occupation, health, enjoyment of goods, accommodation, services, facilities etc.”
While issuing notice the bench directed the State Government to consider providing a Facilitation Centre, a one Point Centre dealing with all problems- for the members of the community at the grass root level, which can be similar to the Anganwari system prevalent in the State of Bihar.
The High Court has directed to list the case on 11th of May, 2020.
-India Legal Bureau