The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Civil Aviation Ministry and Air India after a transgender candidate accused the airline of gender discrimination, reported Bar and Bench.
The petitioner said the airline denied her a job with the cabin crew even though she cleared the examination. She also asked the bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud to direct Air India to create a “third category” for jobs.
The aviation ministry allegedly told Shanavi Ponnusamy that “there was no category to include her”, reported Outlook. She approached the apex court after she came to know that vacancies in the cabin crew were only meant for women. In her petition, Ponnusamy also alleged that she was forced to sit under the female category.
Ponnusamy had worked with Sutherland and Air India Customer Support before she underwent a sex change surgery.
An Indian Navy sailor from Visakhapatnam was sacked from service on October 9, after she had a sex change surgery. Sabi Giri, born Manish Kumar Giri, was discharged for “breaching recruitment regulations and eligibility criteria”.
On October 31, the Delhi High Court asked the Indian Navy if the sailor could be given another posting. The Indian Navy restricts recruitment of women to certain departments. The post Giri held before her sex change surgery was only designated for men.
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