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The Madras High Court directed the state government to make sure that transgenders are included in the vaccination drive.

The bench was hearing a plea seeking issuing of corrigendum to the G.O.(Ms) 37 (“GO”) dated 7.5.2021, issued by the Department of Cooperation, Food and Consumer Protection, to extend Covid-19 cash relief Rs.4000/- to transgender persons in Tamil Nadu, who do not possess Ration Cards.

Senior Advocate Jayana Kothari also requested to make her submissions again before the Bench so that no important issue is left unheard in the plea.

She stated,

“The Transgender community is clueless about the vaccination drive"

Bench replied,
“We will adjourn the matter for a week, vaccination is for everybody."

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy in this context, observed that,

“We request the government to make sure that Transgender and like persons are included in the vaccination drive taken up by the state. Considering the vulnerability of the Transgender people, the Bench hopes that the state would consider vaccinating them on priority basis although they may be less in number.”

Earlier the Court had issued notice to the State in the plea which was filed through Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari & Advocate C Prabhu also sought for directing the State to pay the first instalment of Rs 2000 of cash relief scheduled to be paid for the month of May 2021 as per the GO to transgender persons who do not have ration cards, either on the basis of their transgender identity cards or any other government ID.

Further, the plea also sought for conducting an awareness programmers for Transgender Persons in the State of Tamil Nadu regarding Covid-19 Vaccination, especially to clarify and assure them on the safety of vaccines for those who are undergoing hormone therapy and other treatment and to conduct special vaccination drives for transgender persons in Tamil Nadu by assisting them to register online and get special vaccination slots in local community health centres.

The matter will be heard after two weeks now.

Case Title:  Grace Banu Vs.The Chief Secretary And 4 Others.| WP 12035/2021