HC seeks govt's reply on PIL for separate box for transgenders in Railway reservation forms

The Allahabad High Court today asked the Centre to file its reply on a Public Interest Litigation seeking a separate column for transgenders in reservation forms for buses, trains and planes.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice V K Shukla and Justice M C Tripathi asked the Union Ministries for Civil Aviation, Road Transport and Railways to file their counter affidavits within six weeks.
The order was passed on the PIL filed by Urvashi Jain, an advocate of the High Court, who has contended that absence of a separate column for the "third gender was tantamount to non-recognition of the distinct identity of transgenders".

This, the petitioner claimed, violated the right to life and personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution as well as Article 38 wherein it has been laid down that the state shall strive to secure welfare of all people and ensure social, economic and political justice.