Kriti Agrawal –
The Karnataka government has decided to fill 1% of openings in any services or posts by the state government from among transgender candidates in each of the general merit, Schedule Cast, Schedule Tribes, and Other Backward Class categories.
The State government told the Karnataka High Court in a memo that the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms had initiated efforts to alter the Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 1977.
By issuing a notification dated May 13, it is proposed to change Rule 9, subrule (1) (d). Furthermore, the document states that it has received no complaints to the proposed rule 9 modification.
As a result, despite the completion of the 15-day time period specified in the notification, the state government would not give final notification under Rule 9.
The state government also recommended a modification to rule 16 of the said rules, which is also notified in the same May 13 notification. Objections to Rule 16 are being considered; after a decision is made, the state government will issue formal notification.
The petitioners said that the state in its appointment notification asks for filling up of the vacancies, lists just Men and Women as the genders which can apply for the vacancies, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of NALSA vs Union of India.
Throughout the contested notification, the age, weight, and other criteria are presented individually for Men and Women, with no regard for the Third Gender.