Bus Tickets - Decide Representation To Recognize Transgender Persons As Third Gender In A Month Or Ask MD To Remain Present: Delhi High Court To DTC

The Delhi High Court has asked the Managing Director of Delhi Transport Corporation to remain present before it or decide the representation seeking recognition of transgender community as a third gender on bus tickets and providing them free travel within one month.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora was hearing a plea moved by Amit Juyal, a transgender, seeking initiation of civil contempt proceedings against the Delhi Government and DTC for wilful disobedience of an order passed by a division bench dated October 19, 2022, directing the authorities to decide the representation in four months.

Noting that the division bench’s direction was limited to taking a decision on the representation, the court said that the inaction of the authorities and non-consideration of the representation for more than six months is “certainly protracted.”

“At request of the learned counsel for the Respondents, by way of a last opportunity, the matter is adjourned and the Respondents are directed to comply with the orders of the Division Bench within a period of one month, failing which the Managing Director of Respondent No. 2 shall remain present in Court on the next date of hearing,” the court said in the order passed on April 21.

While issuing notice on the contempt petition, the listed the matter for further hearing on August 18.

Juyal had filed a public interest litigation claiming that the representation made on August 26 last year to the Delhi Government and DTC was not responded to. While disposing of the plea, the division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma granted liberty to Juyal to approach the court again if no decision is made by the authorities.

The contempt plea moved through Advocate Amit George submits that the time period of four months given to the authorities to decide the representation expired on February 18 and that their conduct of not deciding the same, despite unequivocal and clear directions by the division bench, amounts to wilful disobedience of the order.

“That the persons from the TG Community face extreme hardship and trauma every time they have to purchase a physical ticket from the conductor, as their gender is not recognized by Respondent No.2. They not only have to choose a gender they might not identify with, but they are also left at the mercy of the conductor,” the contempt plea states.

Advocate Arkaneil Bhaumik appeared for the petitioner.

Title: AMIT JUYAL v. GOVERNMENT OF NCT OF DELHI & ORS.

Click Here To Read Order