Transgender Identity Cards: Calcutta High Court Asks District Magistrates To Process All Valid Applications Within Time Frame

The Calcutta High Court has asked the authorities in West Bengal to process the pending valid applications for issuance of identity cards to transgender persons and decide the same within a month, in accordance with the criteria stipulated under the Transgender Persons Act, 2019. Justice Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya said: “ is allowed, directing the respondent-authorities to ensure that, subject to satisfaction of the concerned District Magistrate that the petitioner fulfils the criteria as stipulated in the Transgender Persons Act, 2019, transgender identity card is issued to the petitioner latest by February 02, 2023. It is expected that within the said time-frame, the respondents shall process all similar pending valid applications before it and take decisions thereon.” Bhattacharyya's counsel told the court that in terms of the provisions of the Act, the mandate is upon the District Magistrate to issue the identity card within thirty days. The High Court, after hearing the arguments, said: “It is evident that even if the State did not adopt the Central Rules, it was the mandate of law on the District Magistrate to issue identity card to transgender persons within the contemplation of the 2019 Act and the Central Rules within the period as stipulated therein.