Kerala High Court Examines Plea After Transgender Woman’s Nomination for Women-Reserved Seat Is Questioned

A transgender Congress candidate, Amaya Prasad, has moved the Kerala High Court after the Returning Officer indicated that her nomination for a women-reserved panchayat seat could be rejected for lack of an explicit provision under the Kerala Panchayat Raj  Act/Rules.

Having undergone gender-affirming surgery and holding a certificate designating her as "female" under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, she argued that denying her nomination would violate Articles 14, 15, 19(1)(a) and 21.

The court said the matter required deeper examination and issued notices to the State Election Commission and the Returning Officer.

[Amaya Prasad v. State Election Commission, Kerala]