Separate toilets for transgender persons sought at Ambala courts, DC office
Transgender rights activist Latika Mahant has written to the Ambala district authorities, demanding separate toilets for transgender persons at the district courts and the district administration office
Transgender rights activist Latika Mahant has written to the district authorities, demanding separate toilets for transgender persons at the district courts and the district administration office.
In her letters addressed to the district and sessions judge, deputy commissioner and secretary of the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA), Latika said the Supreme Court had declared transgender as the third gender in 2014. As such members of the transgender community were entitled to all rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India.
Her letters also termed the non-availability of washrooms, as a denial of rights as provided under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
She said the Act required that the governments create separate wards in hospitals and washrooms in the establishments within two years from the date of enactment of these rules to protect the rights of transgender persons.
While there is no official data available on the number of third gender people in the district, as per the office of Haryana chief electoral officer (CEO), their number stands at 8,422 in the state as of 2019.
Of the total, mere 252 are registered as eligible voters, including 15 in Ambala district.
Speaking to HT, Latika said, “These government offices receive the most footfall and at times, it takes hours to get any work done. At least 250 transgender persons reside in the district. We are not demanding anything extraordinary, but only the basic facility of toilet.”
