Take steps to include third gender in UPSC exam: HC to Centre

New Delhi, Aug 31 (PTI) Delhi High Court has directed theCentre to take necessary steps to "expeditiously" modify therules regarding the prestigious civil services examinationsto incorporate transgender or third gender in the examapplication forms. Referring to the landmark judgement passed by the SupremeCourt on April 15, 2014 granting legal recognition totransgenders or eunuchs as third category of gender, a benchof Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgalasked the Centre to take urgent steps in this regard. Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sanjay Jain had toldthe bench that an application seeking clarification that theApril 2014 judgement was related only to transgenders and didnot include gay, lesbian or bisexual, was disposed of in June2016 by apex court which had reiterated that lesbians, gaysand bisexuals were not third gender. The ASG also said since the application was pendingbefore the apex court, no steps could have been taken in thisregard and since the issue has been clarified now, appropriatesteps would be taken to modify the rules in terms of thejudgement. "In view of what has been stated and keeping in view thatthe examination pursuant to the impugned notification datedMay 23, 2015 is already over, we dispose of the writ petitionwith a direction to the respondents to take necessary stepsexpeditiously in terms of the judgment of the Supreme Court inNational Legal Services Authority Vs Union of India and Ors,"the bench said. The court disposed of a PIL filed by advocate JamshedAnsari who had challenged UPSC examination notice of May 23last year on the ground of non-inclusion of transgender/thirdgender as a gender option in the application form for the 2015civil services (preliminary) examination. The PIL had also contended that lack of the third genderoption has resulted in transgenders not being able to applyfor the examination which was held on August 23 last year. On June 30 this year, the apex court had refused tomodify its 2014 order on transgenders while clarifying thatlesbians, gays and bisexuals are not third gender. Centre had sought clarification on the April 2014 verdictsaying it was not clear from the earlier order whetherlesbians, gays and bisexuals are transgenders or not. Paving way to bring transgenders in national mainstream,the apex court had in April 2014 asked the government to takesteps to remove problems faced by them, such as fear, shame,social pressure, depression and social stigma. PTI ABA HMP PPSSJKARC