Mumbai: An Air Traffic Control (ATC) executive in the city who, for the last two decades, felt like a woman trapped in a man's body has a bone to pick with public sector employer, Airport Authority of India, for not changing her gender on its record though her PAN and Aadhar cards reflect her 'female' gender.
Employed as an ATC in 2010 as Swaroop Bandikalla, it is Myra Bandikalla, the new name, the executive now goes by. Myra moved Bombay high court recently, accusing AAI of "blatant discrimination'' and violation of fundamental rights to equality, free speech and expression and right to life as a "transgender". Bandikalla belonging to the 'transgender community' says the petition.
Now 32, Myra says she was diagnosed for the first time in 2016 with a gender identity disorder and prescribed sex reconstruction surgery (SRS).
In February 2018, the petition filed through advocate Pranali Mhaske Wankar says a change in name and gender was "published in the official gazette of India'' after undergoing a 'gender transition therapy'. That month, Chettawut Plastic Surgery Centre, Bangkok, confirmed an appointment for her SRS in September 2018. Emails since March to AAI to update its official record received a response in May. The AAI said that the name and gender change can be done only after the SRS. She thus moved court and armed with a Supreme Court ruling that permits 'transgenders' to choose their gender, sought orders to get the AAI to stop its "discrimination" and to change the record.
"They are not updating my record and insisting on surgery which is illegal as per the SC ruling. Unless the record is changed, I can't apply for a no-objection certificate for passport and permission to go abroad," is Myra's case. Her grievance is that even after all legal formalities are complete, AAI was still refusing to update her status.
21/06/18 Times of India
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Employed as an ATC in 2010 as Swaroop Bandikalla, it is Myra Bandikalla, the new name, the executive now goes by. Myra moved Bombay high court recently, accusing AAI of "blatant discrimination'' and violation of fundamental rights to equality, free speech and expression and right to life as a "transgender". Bandikalla belonging to the 'transgender community' says the petition.
Now 32, Myra says she was diagnosed for the first time in 2016 with a gender identity disorder and prescribed sex reconstruction surgery (SRS).
In February 2018, the petition filed through advocate Pranali Mhaske Wankar says a change in name and gender was "published in the official gazette of India'' after undergoing a 'gender transition therapy'. That month, Chettawut Plastic Surgery Centre, Bangkok, confirmed an appointment for her SRS in September 2018. Emails since March to AAI to update its official record received a response in May. The AAI said that the name and gender change can be done only after the SRS. She thus moved court and armed with a Supreme Court ruling that permits 'transgenders' to choose their gender, sought orders to get the AAI to stop its "discrimination" and to change the record.
"They are not updating my record and insisting on surgery which is illegal as per the SC ruling. Unless the record is changed, I can't apply for a no-objection certificate for passport and permission to go abroad," is Myra's case. Her grievance is that even after all legal formalities are complete, AAI was still refusing to update her status.
21/06/18 Times of India
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