The Allahabad High Court has provided relief to a trans woman who filed a petition alleging harassment by members of the transgender community in Saharanpur.
The bench, consisting of Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh and Justice Donadi Ramesh, directed the District Magistrate of Saharanpur to safeguard the petitioner’s fundamental rights to life and liberty.
The petitioner, identified as Huma alias Wasif, claimed that certain members of the transgender community had declared a specific area in Saharanpur as their territory, thereby preventing her from visiting houses during events such as childbirth or marriage.
She alleged that the respondents, numbering between five to ten, had harassed, beaten, and threatened her, forcing her to rely on begging for her livelihood.
In their ruling, the court emphasized that Huma is entitled to the same protections of life and liberty as any other citizen.
They noted that under Section 17 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, Huma could seek redress from the National Council for Transgender Persons.
The court instructed her to file an application with an affidavit and relevant documents before the District Magistrate within two weeks.
The court further directed the District Magistrate to consider Huma’s application on its merits and, if necessary, to appoint an officer who will ensure that the respondents do not illegally restrict her rights.
With these directives, the court disposed of the writ petition.
This decision underscores the judiciary’s commitment to protecting the rights of transgender individuals and ensuring their access to justice and equal protection under the law.
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