- Friday, September 13, 2024
A high-ranked police officer said women personnel changing gender after getting employed under female criteria would mean violation of rules.
By: Shubham Ghosh
TOP-RANKED police officers in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh found themselves in a tricky situation after two women constables in Gorakhpur and Gonda regions wanted permission from the higher authorities to go under the knife to change their gender.
India’s Hindustan Times newspaper reported citing an official of the rank of the additional director general of Uttar Pradesh who on the condition of anonymity said the two constables cited different reasons while applying for permission to change gender.
But why are the authorities finding the situation tricky?
“The main problem in permitting them to undergo sex change is how would other physical criteria required for male constables be matched if they are considered as male constables after surgery. There are different physical criteria like height, running capacity and shoulder strength for male and female category,” the official told the newspaper.
He also said the UP Police strictly follow the criteria when it comes to recruiting men and women and women officers changing gender after bagging the job under female criteria would mean violation of the norms.
The official said the headquarters had told the same to a high court in the state after one of the two women moved it after failing to get permission to change gender, the Hindustan Times report added. She has been pursuing the case since January.
“The court asked the headquarters again to reconsider the request of the woman constable on merit basis and further prepare some norms for similar cases that may come up again in future,” another senior police official of the UP Police headquarters was quoted as saying by the daily.
He added that the police authorities already told King George’s Medical University of Lucknow, the state capital, to do a medical examination of both constables through a medical board and give the required opinion.
He added that they were seeking opinion from all stake-holders related to women and gender issues, besides medical and legal viewpoints, before taking a final call.
The court is set to take up the case again in early December.
