Calcutta High Court orders 1% reservation for transgender people in public positions

The Calcutta High Court has authorized the West Bengal government to provide 1% reservation for transgender persons in all sectors of public sector employment. Despite the state’s policy of equal treatment, this reservation has not yet been implemented, adapting the state’s practice to the directives of the Supreme Court.

The ruling came after a petition by a transgender person who, despite qualifying for the 2014 and 2022 teacher qualification exams, was not called for further counseling or interviews. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha stressed the importance of protecting the rights of transgender people as the “third gender” under the Constitution.

The Supreme Court’s decision is also in line with the Supreme Court’s 2014 ruling, which recognized the right of transgender people to independently determine their gender. The West Bengal chief secretary took note of the 2022 notification affirming equal opportunities for transgender people, but admitted that the necessary reservations were yet to be made.

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