Supreme Court Refers Plea On Census Inclusion, Identity Rights Of Intersex Persons To 3-Judge Bench

The Supreme Court has referred a plea seeking directions for recording the births and deaths of intersex persons and for including them in the Census to a three-judge Bench.

Filed by intersex rights activist Gopi Shankar M, the petition seeks the issuance of identity cards reflecting ‘sex’ and ‘gender’ as separate markers.

It also urges consideration of a legislative mechanism to regulate medical intervention on intersex infants and children, and the empowerment of the National Council for Transgender Persons.

The Court observed that the issues raised involve important questions of rights and policy requiring consideration by a larger Bench, and accordingly directed the matter to be listed before it.

[Gopi Shankar M v. Union of India and Ors.]