The members of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) have urged the state government to repeal a section of Karnataka Police Act (Sec 36A).
Addressing a press conference, Suma M, member of Samara, a city-based NGO which works for the rights of sexual minorities and sex workers said the new amendment to the Act would criminalise sexuality minorities.
According to the Section 36A of Police Act entitled ‘power to regulate eunuchs’ empowers the commissioner to pass orders to maintain a register on names and places of all the transgenders, who are reasonably suspected of kidnapping or emasculating boys, committing unnatural offences, or any other offences.
“This amendment is in direct violation of the Delhi High Court’s rule that clearly keeps consenting adults out of the purview of ‘unnatural offences’. It also contradicts the state government’s efforts to provide gender minorities with socio-economic benefits,” Siddharth Narain, a legal researcher of Alternative Law Forum said.
The members of People’s Union for Civil Liberties are planning to hold a discussion with political leaders to seek a clarification from the state government in this regard, he added.
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