When did the third gender get the right to vote in India? its 1994 or 2014? Tbh I am pretty...

ABCDEF7 · M

[b]The equality of rights was already there in constitution of India in 1949.[/b]

[b]Voting Rights in India: Constitutional Imperative[/b]
The Indian constitution gives equality as a fundamental right to every citizen. This also includes the right to vote. Following are the constitutional provisions in this regard:-

[b]Article 14[/b] of the Constitution of India [b]1949[/b] enunciates equality before the law. It says:
“The State shall not deny to any person equality before the law or the equal protection of the laws within the territory of India [b]Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of[/b] religion, race, caste, [b]sex[/b] or place of birth”.

[b]Article 15[/b] of the Constitution of India [b]1949[/b] provides no prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, [b]sex[/b] or place of birth.

[b]Article 326[/b] of the Constitution Of India [b]1949[/b] provides the [b]right to vote[/b] to every citizen of India. It states “Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be based on adult suffrage. The elections to the House of the People and the Legislative Assembly of every State shall be based on adult suffrage, but is to say, [b]every person who is a citizen of India[/b] and who is not less than twenty-one years of age on such date as may be fixed in that behalf by or under any law made by the appropriate legislature and is [b]not otherwise disqualified[/b] under this constitution or any law made by the appropriate Legislature on the ground of non-residence, unsoundness of mind, crime or corrupt or illegal practice, shall be entitled to be registered as a voter at any such election”

[b]But it is when thing gets more clear in respect of voting rights of third gender.[/b]

[b]The Supreme Court in April 2014 recognized [/b]hijras, transgender people, eunuchs, and intersex people as a ‘[b]third gender[/b]’ in law. This was done by the Supreme Court of India in the landmark case of National Legal Services Authority vs Union Of India & Ors on 15 April 2014.

[b]After considering the entire issue the following broad judgement was given:-[/b]

(1) Hijras, Eunuchs, apart from binary gender, be treated as [b]“third gender” [/b]for the purpose of safeguarding their rights under Part III of our Constitution and the laws made by the Parliament and the State Legislature.

(2) Transgender persons’ right to decide their self-identified gender is also upheld and the Centre and State Governments are directed to grant legal recognition of their gender identity such as male, female or as the third gender.

(3) We direct the Centre and the State Governments to take steps to treat them as socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and extend all kinds of reservation in cases of admission in educational institutions and for public appointments.

(4) Centre and State Governments are directed to operate separate HIV Sero-surveillance Centres since Hijras/ Transgenders face several sexual health issues.

(5) Centre and State Governments should seriously address the problems being faced by Hijras/Transgenders such as fear, shame, gender dysphoria, social pressure, depression, suicidal tendencies, social stigma, etc. and any insistence for SRS for declaring one’s gender is immoral and illegal.

(6) Centre and State Governments should take proper measures to provide medical care to TGs in the hospitals and also provide them separate public toilets and other facilities.

(7) Centre and State Governments should also take steps for framing various social welfare schemes for their betterment.

(8) Centre and State Governments should take steps to create public awareness so that TGs will feel that they are also part and parcel of the social life and be not treated as untouchables.

(9) Centre and the State Governments should also take measures to regain their respect and place in the society which once they enjoyed in our cultural and social life.