News & Media

Senior Advocate & Executive Director of CLPR, Jayna Kothari gives her two cents on how India’s new mordernised legal code – the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), falls short for the Transgender community and renders their experiences of victimhood unseen and unadressed.

The Madras High Court granted three months’ time to the Tamil Nadu government to come up with a separate policy for the uplift of transpersons by providing them reservation and other benefits in public employment and education. Appearing for the petitioner, Senior counsel and Executive Director of CLPR, Jayna Kothari had advocated for horizontal reservation for trans persons, highlighting the need for inclusive policies in education and employment.

Tamil Nadu government plans to conduct a survey on the population of trans persons after the election process concludes. Appearing for the petitioner, Senior counsel and Executive Director of CLPR, Jayna Kothari had advocated for horizontal reservation for trans persons, highlighting the need for inclusive policies in education and employment.

The Madras High Court urges the Tamil Nadu government to provide adequate horizontal reservation for transgender individuals in education & public employment after finding force in the submissions of senior advocate Jayna Kothari, appearing for the petitioner.

THe Madras High Court directs the Tamil Nadu Govt., to file a reply to petitions seeking reservations for transgender persons in the recruitment of sub-inspector of police in the state. Jayna Kothari, Executive Director at CLPR & Senior Advocate, appearing for the petitioners says that various courts, including the Madras High Court, have ordered the provision of special reservations for transgender persons.

The Telangana High Court passed an order striking down the Telangana Eunuchs Act, 1329 law as unconstitutional and violative of human rights, declaring it as ‘ultra vires’ to the Constitution of India. CLPR’s Executive Director, Jayna Kothari represented the petitioners in this case.

In this interview piece, Executive Director at CLPR and Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India, Jayna Kothari talks to the Probe.in’s Kamna Batra on the pressing issue and the rising need of queer-friendly workplaces in India.

In this interview article, Executive Director of CLPR and Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari who represented Dr. Akkai Padmashali in the Marriage Equality hearing case is mentioned giving her account on the struggles faced by Dr. Padmashali in response to an insinuation that non-heterosexuality was an “urban elite concept”.

The movement to demand horizontal reservations for trans persons has gained momentum across India, the recent protests come in the backdrop of a March 27 decision of the Supreme Court refusing to hear the plea seeking a separate horizontal extension of reservations for trans persons. In this article, CLPR’s Policy Brief, “Horizontal Reservations for Transgender Persons : Taking Intersectionality Forward” is referred to alongwith a quote by Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate and Executive Director, CLPR, who represents the petitioner in this case.

A transgender rights activist, Grace Banu has filed an “Intervention Application” before the Delhi High Court, seeking permission to support the court in a plea seeking hiring of transgender people in public appointments. Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate and Executive Director of Centre for Law and Policy Research, Bangalore is representing the applicant. 

The Supreme Court issued a notice in a plea filed by members of the transgender community seeking a declaration that all references to “husband” and “wife” and ‘male’ and ‘female’ in the Special Marriage Act (SMA) 1954 be read to include the words ‘or spouse’ to include all persons irrespective of their gender identity and sexual orientation. Jayna Kothari, Senior Advocate & Executive Director of Centre for Law and Policy Research, represented the petitioners on this case.

Bar and bench reported on Karnataka High Court’s notice to the State government on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking separate hostels and accommodation for transgender students in higher educational institutions in the State of Karnataka.

Bar & Bench reported on the Madras Court’s order where the court recommended the State government to provide a specific percentage of separate reservation for the Third Gender (TG) or transgender persons in matters of future public employment.

Bar & Bench reported on the Madras Court’s order where the court sought a response from the Tamil Nadu government on a plea seeking COVID-19 cash relief to Transgender persons who do not possess ration cards.

Live Law reported on the Supreme Court’s order where the apex court issued a notice in a plea challenging the Union Ministry of Health blood donor guidelines that prohibit transgender persons and gay men from donating blood.

Bar & Bench reported on the Supreme Court’s order where the apex court issued a notice in a plea challenging the Union Ministry of Health blood donor guidelines that prohibit transgender persons and gay men from donating blood.

Live Law carried out the press release issued by the Center for Law and Policy Research on the Transform Conference 2020.

Bar & Bench carried out the press release issued by the Center for Law and Policy Research on the Transform Conference 2020.

Times of India reported on High Court of Telangana’s direction to the State government where it asked the State government to inform whether it would supply free rice to transgenders and other sections of people who do not have ration cards under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana which promises food grains to even those who do not posses ration cards. The bench gave the order while hearing a PIL filed by Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, represented by Sr. Advocate Jayna Kothari. 

The New Indian Express reported on High Court of Telangana’s direction to the State government where it asked State government to earmark separate isolation wards for the transgender persons during the ongoing pandemic. The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli, represented by Sr. Advocate Jayna Kothari.

Bar & Bench reported the petition challenging the Transgender Persons Act, 2019 that violates the fundamental right filed by Advocate Anandita Pujari and represented by Senior Counsel Jayna Kothari.

Deccan Chronicle reported Transform, the 3rd International Conference on Transgender Rights and the Law.

The Deccan Chronicle reports on a recent judgement by the Madras High Court regarding transgender inclusion in the police force. Addressing three writ petitions represented by CLPR, the case dealt with strict upper-age limits for transgender persons applying for the post of grade II police constable. 

The Deccan Chronicle’s Yamuna R. speaks to transgender activist Grace Banu and senior advocate Jayna Kothari regarding transgender rights in India and reservation policies in public employment. 

Reporting for the Bangalore Mirror, Shyam Prasad S covers Justice S. Sujatha’s judgement in the Jeeva M. vs State of Karnataka & Anr. case. Describing it as a “significant trendsetter”, he quotes Senior Advocate Jayna Kothari on similar circumstances in 2013. 

Nikita Puri describes how the trans community is furious with the new Transgender Persons Bill 2018. She interviews CLPR Executive Director and Senior Counsel, Jayna Kothari for a closer analysis of how the Bill fails the community.

Erwin Fernandes interviews Jayna Kothari for Bloomberg Quint on The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill in December 2018. In reaction, the trans community led nation-wide protests, criticising the Bill for failing to protect their interests.

About 50 per cent of the members of the State Gender Welfare Board should be our community. If we have it, we will help the government get the issues we are experiencing. Society should not look at us badly.

Friedrich Neumann Foundation for Freedom shares its views on CLPR’s work on transgender rights. This includes a transgender rights course taught at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, as well as the Trans Law cell headed by CLPR.

This article looks at the judgments of the Supreme Court in Section 377, adultery, and Sabarimala cases. It quotes Jayna Kothari  on Akkai Padmashali, transgender rights activist, who was one of the Petitioners in Section 377 case. Jayna says ““Akkai insisted on telling her story”.

This post records initial response of the community to the Section 377 verdict. It carried Jayna Kothari’s views on what the judgment holds for the transgender community.

This is a video response of Jayna Kothari on the Section 377 verdict.
While the transgender community is fighting their own separate legal battle in recognition of their rights, the decriminalisation of homosexuality by the Supreme Court today will aid the fight for transgender rights, says Jayna Kothari.

“TRANSformation of courts” throws light on the drastic conditions of the transgender community. Jayna feels that it is important that stories of the daily lives and experiences of trans people must be told in the court.In a world full of muffled silences, she made sure their voices were heard. By fighting these cases, she hopes that the courts, the State, public authorities, and society see trans persons not as criminals, but as citizens, with equal constitutional rights. Watch this video to understand the burning need to make our society inclusive of all the marginalised communities.

Ms. Jayna Kothari, Executive Director of CLPR, represented Dr. Akkai Padmashali, a trans-rights activist, in Section 377 challenge. Ms. Kothari argued for scrapping Section 377 and cited several state laws which target transgender community and classify them as ‘criminals’. Her arguments were covered by The Hindu.

The Deccan Herald’s issue dated 12.10.2017 offered an in-depth coverage of the efforts undertaken by the Centre for Law & Policy Research towards empowering the Transgender community by setting up a free weekly legal aid cell for their assistance.

The Times of India covered CLPR’s course on transgender Identity & the Law. The course consisting of seven sessions was designed by Jayna Kothari, Executive Director of CLPR and introduced at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore on 30.08.2017.