[News] [India] In a first, HC employs transgender
Stephanie Stevens
In a first, HC employs transgender
P Vasanth Kumar, TNN | Feb 5, 2012, 01.08AM IST
Setting an example in affirmative action, the Karnataka high court on
Saturday appointed a 27-year-old transgender as a Class IV employee.
The landmark move could perhaps be the first of its kind in the
country.
C Anu, a resident of Haleguddadahalli, off Mysore Road, will be in the
ranks of the 5,500-odd strong workforce of HC from Monday. Like all
employees, she will be on probation for two years in the salary scale
of Rs 4,500 to Rs 7,200.
A beaming Anu received the appointment order from the chief justice of
the Karnataka high court, Vikramajit Sen, and justice Altamas Kabir of
the Supreme Court, who is also the chairman of the National Legal
Services Authority. The order was handed over at a simple ceremony in
the Patron Chief Hall of the high court during the valedictory of a
mega Lok Adalat organized by the Karnataka State Legal Service
Authority.
Daughter of Channaiah, Anu was earlier known as Lokesh, while studying
at a lower primary government school in Haleguddadahalli.
A Class V dropout, Anu is well versed in three languages - Kannada,
Tamil and Hindi. Her CV said she was a trained danseuse and
beautician.
Anu declined to talk to mediapersons. Court sources said there are no
restrictions on employing transgenders. "The judicial fraternity has
had several seminars, where it was discussed that the transgender
community always faced the problem of unemployment and something
needed to be done in this regard,'' the sources said.
The high court's gesture comes as one of substance as efforts by
various agencies to ensure that transgenders enter the mainstream have
largely remained on paper.
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