Transwoman challenges women reservation rules

A woman who identifies as transgender has petitioned the High Court of Kerala questioning whether her candidacy for a women-reserved ward in a district panchayat election can be accepted.

- HD Bureau

The candidate, Amaya Prasad, an office-bearer of a political alliance, is set to contest from the Pothencode division in the Thiruvananthapuram district under the United Democratic Front banner. On 19 November the District Election Officer communicated to her that her nomination may face rejection because the state’s panchayat law and election rules do not explicitly recognise transgender women as eligible for seats reserved for women.