Over 100 Toilets Constructed For Transgender People In National Capital: Delhi Govt To High Court

The Delhi Government on Monday informed the Delhi High Court that over 100 toilets have been constructed so far for transgender persons in the national capital.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula was informed by Delhi Government’s Social Welfare Department that 102 toilets have been constructed whereas 194 more are under construction.

The Government also told the court that efforts are being made and that further action will be taken expeditiously in the matter.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Jasmine Kaur Chhabra through Advocate Rupinder Pal Singh seeking construction of separate toilets for transgender people. It is Chhabra’s case that lack of such toilets make transgender people prone to “sexual assault and harassment”.

The bench said that it will dispose of the petition by passing appropriate orders, observing that substantial progress has been made by the city authorities in the matter.

In March, the court had directed the Delhi government to ensure that public toilets for transgender persons are constructed in the national capital within eight weeks. In July last year, the Delhi Government had informed the court that it is making all possible efforts to ensure creation of separate toilets for transgender persons and that the same will be done on a fast track basis.

Stating that every human being, irrespective of the gender, has basic human rights including use of separate public toilets, the plea stated that not providing such facilities to transgender or third gender persons violates their rights under Article 14 and 21.

Case Title: Jasmine Kaur Chhabra v. UOI & Ors.