Deepali Kalia –
Published on August 03, 2021, at 2:34 PM
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D Audikesavalu directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that the vaccination of all transgender persons in the State is conducted within a period of three months.
The Bench passed the directions while hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by Grace Banu Ganeshan, a transgender rights activist who sought extension of COVID-19 cash relief and also conducting of special vaccination drives for transgender persons in the State.
With regard to the issue of COVID-19 cash relief, the Court observed that, “The State appears to have gone out of its way to ensure that transgenders receive the first installment of cash relief of Rs.2,000/- each.”
Even when the problem of several transgender persons not being registered arose, the State upon Court’s request waived the requirement of registration cards and had extended aid on the ground of any form of identification card, the Court noted.
With regard to the second instalment of cash relief, the Court noted that, “The State through learned Advocate-General assures the court that the same protocol would be followed and all eligible transgenders seeking the aid will be duly granted the second installment of Rs.2,000/- along with the release of such second installment to other classes of persons.”
The Court in relation to the special vaccination drives for transgender persons stated that, “It is the further case of the petitioner that some special measures be adopted by the State to vaccinate the transgenders. While it may not be ideal to create groups and sub-groups and require the State to deal with every group or subgroup as a special class, it may also be noted that there can be no reasonable apprehension on the part of the transgenders in this State that they would be discriminated against when it came to vaccination.”
“However, it will be open to the State to provide special windows to transgenders or other classes of persons at any place or places so that such vulnerable sections receive their vaccinations as expeditiously as possible.” The Court added.
The petition was disposed of by the Court with directions to the State to release second instalment of COVID-19 cash relief to the transgenders as seamlessly as the first one and to ensure that vaccination of all transgenders is conducted within three months.
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