Transgender moves Madurai Bench of Madras HC to attend police physical test
She belongs to Dalit community and has been supporting her family, working as daily wage labourer after her father's death.
Madurai: A transgender not permitted to undergo physical test by Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board, despite clearing the written examination, sought court’s intervention in facilitating her to participate in the selection process.
Transgender R. Jegathesewaran, (21), of Vasanthapuram village in Ramathapuram district, in her petition filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras high court said that even after she produced the certificate of her sex certified by the Transgender Board of Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, the officials expressed their helplessness because TN Uniformed Services Board disqualified her.
Jegathesewaran, who was pursuing BA (English) Literature in Ala-gappa university, Karikudi, through correspondence course, has applied for the posts of Grade II Police Constable, Grade Jail warden and Fireman- 2017. She applied under the transgender category and passed in the written examination held on May 21, Robert Chandra Kumar, the counsel appearing for the petitioner, told the court.
When she appeared for physical test on July 31 at Seethakathi Sethupathi Stadium, Ramanathapuram, police officers did not permit her to appear for the test on the premise that she didn't produce the certificate of her sex, said the counsel.
“I don’t notice anywhere in the publications or in the call letter, I was asked to bring the certificate from Transgender Board. I was under the impression that I have to take with me only the originals of the certificates,” said the petitioner who also produced the copy of the documents in the court.
Jegathesewaran, who changed her name as Nasriya after she underwent sex reassignment surgery, went to the venue with the belief that the sex test would done by doctors there. But the doctor team only examined the female candidates, she said.
She belongs to Dalit community and has been supporting her family, working as daily wage labourer after her father’s death. After examining her petition, Justice Raja directed the chairman of TN Uniformed Services Recruitment Board to file his response and posted the next hearing on August17.