The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to set up a “dedicated nationwide toll-free helpline number” in coordination with the states and Union Territories to address all complaints relating to contraventions of the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act.

The court launched a scathing attack on various governments for failing to prevent and act against continuing discrimination, humiliation and harassment of transgender persons across the country.

“If any such information regarding the violation of the provisions of the 2019 Act and 2020 Rules, respectively, is received by the helpline, it shall immediately report such information to the Transgender Protection Cells under the charge of the District Magistrate in each District and under the Director General of Police of the State, as the case may require. This nationwide toll-free helpline number would have a wider scope than the grievance redressal mechanism envisioned under Rule 13(5) of the 2020 Rules,” the apex court said in a judgment while issuing a slew of directions to the authorities.

“The Union of India and all the States respectively shall ensure that the aforesaid directions are strictly complied with within a period of three months from the date of the pronouncement of this judgment,” a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan said.

The bench also formed an advisory committee headed by former Delhi High Court judge, Justice Asha Menon, as chairperson to evolve steps to prevent the harassment, humiliation and discrimination of transgender persons.

“To facilitate the same, we direct the Chief Secretaries of all the States/ Union Territories to nominate a high-ranking officer, not below the rank of Joint Secretary in the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment of the respective State/ Union Territory, to act as the nodal officer on behalf of the respective State/ Union Territory. We further direct all the concerned departments/ authorities of the respective State/ Union Territory to cooperate with the nodal officer concerned...,” the bench said.

The court passed the direction while dealing with a writ petition filed by Jane Kaushik, a transgender woman who had challenged her termination as a teacher by two schools. The court ordered a cumulative compensation of ₹2 lakh to Kaushik to be paid equally by the Centre, the two schools and the states which failed to act against the institutions.