Transgenders to man Orissa jails as warders

The Orissa government has decided to recruit transgenders as jail warders as per the directive of the Supreme Court.

For implementation of the directive of the apex court, the State Police has informed the Orissa Subordinate Staff Selection Commission for recruitment of transgenders as jail waders.

“A letter to this effect has been sent to the Commission to take necessary steps in this regard,” Additional Director General (prisons) Manoranjan Patnaik told reporters on Monday.

In a letter to the ADG-cum-IG of Prisons, and Department of Correctional Service (DCS) on July 27 this year, Union home deputy secretary B. Mishra had sought a clarification on inclusion of the transgenders as a gender category in recruitment of jail warders by keeping their physical standards at the same level as that of women candidates as per the observation of the Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

The letter had also requested the ADG to furnish the above observation/clarification to OSSSC to expedite the process of recruitment of jail warders by stipulating the same physical standards for the transgenders as are prescribed for women candidates.

Also, the Orissa government has allowed the transgender community to participate in Independence Day parade.

“For the first time in the country, the Orissa government has allowed the transgenders to participate in the state level parade to be held at Mahatma Gandhi Marg on August 15,” General Secretary of TG Surakshya Trust Pratap Sahoo said.