Transgender person can join the National Cadet Corps, rules Kerala High Court

• The Kerala High Court today broke a barrier as it ruled that a transgender person can join the National Cadet Corps.
• Hina Haneefa, a 22-year old transwoman, had moved the Kerala High Court for her right to be a part of the NCC.
• The court said that the enrolment criteria under Section 6 of the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948 which excludes admission of transgender persons to Corps should be amended.

Hina Haneefa, a transgender who identifies herself as a woman, must be happy today.

The Kerala High Court today broke a barrier as it ruled that a transgender person can join the National Cadet Corps, going beyong the previous rule of being either a male or female person to join the youth wing of the Armed Forces.

Legal news platform Bar & Bench reported that the state’s top court said that the enrolment criteria under Section 6 of the National Cadet Corps Act, 1948 which excludes admission of transgender persons to Corps should be amended.

“Transgender person has a right to be recognised not only as a transgender but also a right to self-perceived self-identity,” said Justice Anu Sivaraman who pronounced the order.

Haneefa, the 22-year old transwoman had moved the Kerala High Court for her right to be a part of the NCC. Haneefa had joined the NCC when she was 13, as a ‘boy’ the gender assigned to her at birth. However, since then, she has undergone transformational surgeries. “Gender should not be a factor for admission to the corps,” Haneefa had told the Quint in an interview earlier.

“Petitioner is entitled to enrollment in the NCC Senior Girls Division and rejection of request of petitioner for such enrolment is completely unsustainable,” said Justice Sivaraman during the order.

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