CHENNAI: The state government issued orders for the appointment of 13,137 police constables. Those opting for “third gender” would be under the female category for educational qualifications, physical fitness and reservation. It is a change that lifts a barrier. Tamil Nadu has cleared the decks for transgenders to enter the police force. The move comes following the entry of Prithika Yashini, the first Trans woman Sub Inspector based on a court order last year. Tamil Nadu will become the first State to open the gates for the third gender, officers said. A senior police official said, “This is the first time that we will be formally inducting them in the police department. The notification is expected in a month and the recruitment completed by December”. Earlier some of them had tried to join the police but they were turned away as there was no provision to accommodate the third gender. One candidate joined the force but was found to be a transgender during a routine medical examination in 2013, the candidate was dismissed later. After clearing the written examination, physical test and personal interview, the woman joined the force as a Grade-II constable in 2013. Months later, she was dismissed since she had qualified based on the standards set for women. Following this the candidate moved the Madras High Court, and said she was admitted as a girl in school and represented Tamil Nadu as a woman athlete. The court ordered her to be reinstated. A silver medallist in the Doha Asian Games Santhi Soundararajan’s is a similar story. Once qualified she did not turn up, Santhi had failed a gender test and lost her silver medal. There was no bar on transgender applying. But their applications could not be entertained as there was no instruction on whether they should be tested as men or women, a senior police officer said. A Supreme Court order decided the issue, and gave them right of choice. Would reservation for women be applied? The official said the reservation rules on appointment of transgenders in other departments would apply. ]]>
