Madras HC declines transgender person's request to redo constable selection test

Chennai: The Madras High Court has turned down the request of a transgender person to retake a constable recruitment test, stating that allowing her to participate in the test under the women's category was a concession in itself.

In the selection process held earlier, the petitioner said she had failed to complete a test within the prescribed time after tumbling accidentally.

"The petitioner has already been given a concession of participating in the running race along with women candidates. Therefore another concession to redo the running test cannot be granted," Justice SM Subramaniam said in his order. The petitioner submitted that she got certificate as transgender from Coimbatore Medical College Hospital last year. Later a gazette notification was issued changing her name.

In February 2017, she applied for recruitment of Grade-II police constables in transgender category.

She cleared the written test, physical examination and other physical endurance tests like long jump and 400 meters running.

But while participating in the 100 meters running test, she accidentally fell down and failed to complete the test within the prescribed time, following which she was disqualified, against which she moved the High Court.