The Supreme Court deliberating a case involving a transwoman teacher who has alleged workplace discrimination. She claims to have faced unfair treatment at her place of work due to her gender identity. After hearing the arguments, the court has decided to reserve its judgment on the matter. This case highlights critical issues of equality and inclusivity in professional spaces.
New Delhi: A transwoman teacher filed a petition for justice in the Supreme Court, alleging workplace discrimination after being dismissed from her job at two schools in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh following the revelation of her gender identity.
The Supreme Court reserved its decision on the matter.
The case heard by a bench led by Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan, who instructed both parties to complete their arguments within two weeks.
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The bench emphasized that,
“Terminating employment solely based on a person’s identity as a transwoman or transman is unacceptable.”
In a related case, former Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, previously directed state governments and educational institutions to address similar discrimination issues.
The lawyer representing the petitioner argued that this situation exemplifies serious discrimination against a transgender teacher. The school administration was aware of her identity and that she was living in a women’s hostel.
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However, after her identity became public, she was dismissed, which the lawyer described as “highly inappropriate.” In response to these allegations, the Supreme Court issued notices to the governments of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, requesting their responses.
This case comes in the wake of a landmark ruling in National Legal Services vs. Union of India and Others, where the Supreme Court affirmed that transgender individuals must have equal access to employment opportunities. The 2019 legislation was enacted to reinforce this principle, ensuring that no one faces injustice or discrimination because of their gender identity.