Centre constitutes committee on redrafting Transgender Bill

A committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to redraft the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2015.
The Committee, also comprising of two Joint Secretaries from Law Ministry, a Joint Secretary each from Health and Social Justice and Empowerment Ministries and members from Lawyers Collective, will evaluate the suggestions made at the pre-legislative consultation meeting held on January 18 and chaired by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.
"We had received several inputs from concerned stakeholders during the pre-legislative consultation meeting held on January 18, following which the committee was constituted to redraft the Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2015," said a senior Ministry official.

As per the current draft Bill, transgenders who by birth do not belong to Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes may be declared as Backward Class and would be entitled to reservation under the existing ceiling of OBC category.
"Transgenders will also not be prevented from competing for seats which are not reserved for them," says the draft Bill.
As per the Bill, transgenders will be declared as the third gender and would be given the option to identify themselves as 'man', 'woman' or 'transgender' as well as the right to choose any of the options independent of surgery or hormones.

Only the nomenclature 'transgender' will be used and 'other or 'others' should not be used, the Bill stated.

"Also, transgenders would be issued a proper identification certificate by a state-level authority duly designated or constituted by respective state or UT on the lines of Tamil Nadu Aravanis Welfare Board," the draft said.
The certificate issued will have to be acceptable by all authorities for indicating the gender on official documents like ration card, passport, birth certificate, aadhaar card, etc.
All educational institutions and universities will be establishing a cell to monitor any form of discrimination against the transgender community, the Bill stated.

Other benefits to the community include scholarship, entitlements, fee-waiver, free textbooks, free hostel accommodation and other facilities at subsidised rates.