Will sympathetically consider extending COVID-19 cash relief to transgender persons without ration cards: State to Madras High Court

The State on Thursday told the Madras High Court that the lack of ration cards may not stand in the way of transgender persons seeking to avail the State's Rs 4,000 COVID-19 cash relief (Grace Banu v. Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu and ors). .The Court was hearing a petition moved by transgender activist Grace Banu who had raised concern that a large number of transgender persons in Tamil Nadu do not have ration cards. .Appearing for Banu, Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari submitted on Thursday that about 12,000 transgender persons had earlier been issued identity cards by a Transgender Board. However, the Board has not been functional for some time and no idendity cards have been issued over the last two years or so, the Court was told. .Only a fraction of transgender persons have ration cards, she submitted. However, they do have other identity cards which reflect their transgender status, she added. .Appearing for the State, Advocate General R Shunmugasundarm told the Court that the State may not insist on the possession of ration cards to extend the cash benefit. "We won't restrict to non-ID cardholders ... transgenders they have an organization. Identification will not be a problem", he submitted. .The Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, in turn took the submission on record and posted the matter for hearing on June 7 when the State is expected to appraise the Court of any measures taken in the matter. ."It is submitted on behalf of the State that the Government will sympathetically consider the matter pertaining to transgenders and the fact that the eligible persons need to possess ration cards may not stand in the way of their receiving the relief since there are other forms of identity cards that indicate their orientation. The State Government should take a decision in such regard and come to the aid of the transgenders who require immediate relief. Let this matter appear on June 7, 2021, for the State Government to indicate if any measures have been taken in such regard," the order stated..Sympathetically consider plea for grant of compensation in cases of COVID-19 death: Court.In another case, the Court also urged the State to take a sympathetic view of a plea to grant compensation to the families of persons who have died on account of COVID-19. .The petition before the Court sought compensation for doctors, nurses, sweepers, other frontline workers and the families of those who died upon being afflicted by virus..The Bench observed that it cannot issue general directions on the issue since these are matters of policy. However, it took note that there are certain schemes announced by State and that in certain cases, ad hoc compensation has also been awarded..The Court disposed of the matter while expressing hope that it would receive the sympathetic consideration of the State, particularly in cases of needy families who lost their bread earners. .Both the award of compensation and compassionate appointment may be considered by the State, the Court said. .[Read the Order]