Karnataka HC directs National Law School to provide provisional admission to transgender person

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has directed the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) to grant provisional admission to a transgender person for the three-year LLB course. However, the admission under this interim order will be subject to the final outcome of the petition that it is hearing.

A bench headed by Ashok S Kinagi on Tuesday was hearing the petition filed by Mugil Anbu Vasantha, a transgender who had challenged the NLSIU for not providing reservation for transgender persons.

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The NLSIU had claimed in its objections to the petition that the “executive council in its wisdom has opted, at this time, not to provide for a quota for transgender persons." The petitioner has sought the Court to direct the NLSIU to implement the Karnataka State Policy on Transgenders which provides for reservation.

The NLSIU provides reservation under the ccheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs and EWS. A horizontal reservation of persons with disabilities, women and Karnataka domicile students is also provided. The NLSIU has claimed that Vasantha had applied under the general category and failed to secure the seat and, therefore, the petition seeking reservation as a transgender was not maintainable.