New Delhi: Sharif Rangnekar filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding permission for blood donation by LGBTQ+ individuals. The petition challenges the constitutional validity of the 2017 rules set by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Central Government, NBTC, and the National AIDS Control Organization. The Supreme Court will hear the petition on July 30.
The Central Government has already clarified its stance on the blood donor selection guidelines in the Supreme Court. In its affidavit, the Central Government stated that transgenders, homosexuals, and sex workers are excluded from donating blood.
The Health Ministry argued in its affidavit that sufficient scientific evidence supports this conclusion. Various studies have shown a higher prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis B or C among these groups. The Central Government also said that the guidelines exclude individuals at a higher risk of spreading hepatitis B or C infection. The evidence indicates that transgenders, men who have sex with men, and female sex workers are at a higher risk of HIV and hepatitis.
Petitioner calls violation of Constitution
The petitioner called this exclusion a violation of the Constitution. The 2017 rule bans transgenders, men who have sex with men, and female sex workers from donating blood. The petitioner argues that this complete ban violates the right to equality, dignity, and life under Articles 14, 15, 17, and 21 of the Constitution.
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