The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board (TNUSRB) to allow three transgenders, who had crossed the maximum age limit of 26 years, to participate in the written examinations being conducted for recruitment of Grade II police constables.

Justice V. Parthiban issued the interim direction on individual writ petitions filed by the transgenders with a plea to increase the maximum age limit for them to 45 years considering the social stigma and other debilitating factors that make it impossible for them to compete with others on a equal footing.

Observing that the plea made by the petitioners required critical appreciation and examination, the judge said the balance of the convenience was in favour of the petitioners. Therefore, they could be allowed to participate in the selection process without prejudice to the rights of any of the parties to the case.

In her affidavit, one of the petitioners, Deepika, 27, stated that it was unfair to have fixed the age limit for transgenders at 26 despite having fixed it at 35 years for destitute widows and 45 years for ex-servicemen. Given the disadvantages suffered by transgenders, the age limit should have been fixed at 45 for them too, she said.