Bhubaneswar: As per the Supreme Court directive, the state government has allowed transgenders to change their name and gender. The department of social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities recently issued a notification in this regard.
For change of name and gender, the interested transgender will have to submit an application along with an affidavit to the competent authority. If the transgender is a government employee, the person must submit another application for publishing the declaration in government gazette.
The applicants will have to publish the declaration in two local and national dailies stating the reason behind change in name. The applicants have to bear the cost of the entire exercise, officials said.
If the transgender is a government servant, then the competent authority is the head of the administrative department. However, all other applications will be dealt with head of the department of social security and empowerment of persons with disabilities, they said.
“If one transgender has changed the gender from male to female, then the person will be eligible for all benefits provided to a female staff,” the officials added.
Transgender activist Meera Parida lauded the move. “It is a very welcoming step taken by the government. It will give all rights to transgenders to live like other people,” said Parida.
However, another transgender on the condition of anonymity said the government should not force them to declare name and gender in the newspaper as it may create problem for them in living a dignified life.
In its historic order in April 2014, the SC had held that transgenders, as a distinct ‘third gender’ category, will have all rights under the law, including the right to marry each other, adopt, divorce, succession, inheritance and claim benefits under welfare programmes such as MGNREGA.
Meanwhile, the government has engaged Xavier Institute Management, Bhubaneswar to conduct a survey on status of transgenders in the state and submit the report by November end. The report will help the government in planning and implementation of policies related to transgenders, an official said.
Post News Network
