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Synopsis

The Delhi Government, on Monday, informed the Delhi High Court that it has constructed 143 separate public toilets in the national capital for transgender individuals, as requested in a plea filed by Jasmine Kaur Chhabra. The bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora presided over the matter. 

Additionally, the government stated that the construction of 223 more toilets for transgender persons was in progress, while plans for 30 additional toilets were pending. It was also noted that 1584 toilets designated for persons with disabilities were available for use by transgender persons.

During the court session, Advocate Rupinder Pal Singh, representing Chhabra, emphasized the vulnerability of transgender individuals to sexual assault and harassment due to the lack of such facilities. 

The plea emphasized that every individual, irrespective of gender, has fundamental human rights, including access to separate public toilets. The failure to provide such facilities to transgender or third-gender individuals was argued to be a violation of their rights under Articles 14 and 21.

Jasmine Chhabra expressed no objection to closing the public interest litigation but requested that the government fulfill the commitments made in the status report and action taken reports.

In the preceding year, the court had instructed the Delhi government to ensure the construction of public toilets for transgender persons. The state government had assured the court of its efforts to accelerate the establishment of separate toilets for transgender individuals.

The court, therefore, disposed of the case holding the government accountable to the statements and commitments outlined in the reports mentioned above.

Case Title: Jasmine Kaur Chhabra v Union of India & Ors.