In a historic move towards inclusivity, 12 transgender individuals from the Pune district and session court are set to make history on March 3, 2024, as they take their seats on the bench for the National Lok Adalat. Representing a social workers’ organization, this initiative aims to challenge societal perceptions and demonstrate the capability of transgender individuals to address issues when given the opportunity.
The primary objective is to combat gender discrimination and send a powerful message of equality. By including transgender members in the social activist category of the panel, the initiative strives to alter public perceptions about their capacity to effectively contribute to the discourse surrounding transgender concerns.
Each panel consists of three member groups: one for the judge, one for the advocate or legal expert, and the third for the social activist. The transgender members will be an integral part of the social activist member group category.
Sonal Patil, the Secretary of Pune District Legal Service Authority (PDLSA), explained, “First, we will identify them, and later they will be guided and trained about the working of the panels.”
With around 140 benches in the Lok Sabha, the upcoming session is anticipated to resolve over 2500 cases, encompassing issues such as electric bills, loan recovery, and traffic challans.
Transgender individuals were selected based on their notable contributions in the field of social work. This marks the first instance of the social activist member group category including transgender representatives in the National Lok Adalat.
Already featuring a specialized desk for traffic-related issues in Yerwada, the upcoming session is poised to address various cases, including loan recovery, electricity bills, traffic challans, matrimonial cases, and more, showcasing the diverse expertise and perspectives transgender members bring to the judicial process.
