Plea in Madras HC seeks gender-neutral passport, Centre told to respond

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Union government to consider the representation of the petitioner seeking a gender-neutral passport, as he underwent sex change from female to male.

Disposing of a petition moved by Fred Rogers seeking to direct the Ministry of External Affairs to include the gender-neutral term 'parent' instead of mother or father in the passport application form, Justice M Dhandapani directed the Regional Passport Officer to consider the petitioner's applications in accordance with law within 12 weeks.

The counsel appeared for the respondent submitted that the Union government would consider the representation after giving an opportunity to the petitioner.

Rogers was the mother of two children before undergoing procedures, including gender-affirming surgeries, to transition from female to male. When he downloaded the application form to renew his children’s passports, he found that gender-neutral terminology such as 'parent' was not mentioned in the application. Instead, only gender-specific terminologies such as name of 'father' and 'mother were mentioned in the application form, he said.

He then wrote to the authorities by mail seeking to include the gender-neutral term 'parent' in the passport application form. However, it was not considered, prompting him to move the court, Rogers said in the petition.