Frame norms to protect LGBTQIA+ rights in 4 weeks

CHENNAI: Justice N Anand Venkatesh of Madras High Court on Monday directed the state government to frame guidelines within four weeks to protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ section people in Tamil Nadu.

The judge passed the direction on hearing the matters related to Glossary, Draft Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, Sensitisation of Teachers, and the Transgender Persons Policy.

When the matter was taken up for hearing on Monday, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) S Silambanan submitted that the glossary is in the process of finalization and meetings are held with the Tamil etymological and dictionary project department and an attempt is being made to simplify the words as much as possible.

The AAG further informed the judge that the above process will be completed, and the glossary will also be placed before the Chief Minister, for obtaining orders to publish the same in the Government gazette. The state further sought four weeks for time to complete this process.

The government also noted that the Transgender persons (Protection of Rights) rights are on the verge of being finalized and the rules will be published, within a period of four weeks.

“Sensitisation of teachers in this regard will commence after a week and the progress made in the sensitization program will be reported to the court on the next date of hearing by way of filing a status report. For implementing the transgender persons’ policy, views of various departments are still awaited and sought some more time to complete this process and to publish the policy,” the government informed the HC.

NCERT’s standing counsel noted that the training for the sensitization of the different stakeholders of school education will commence from the coming academic session. The judge posted the matter to August 22.