Delhi: HC Suggests Navy to Give Sacked Transgender Alternate Role

The decision to undergo a sex change by Sabi Giri has cost her job. The Indian Navy that has several restrictions for women to enter positions has decided to lay her off after she changed her sex from male to female. Now, as Sabi approached the Delhi High Court, it has on Monday asked the Navy to give a second thought about giving her a clerical job.

"This is an out of the box situation. This may have never happened in the navy or other armed forces," the bench said, The News Minute reported.

A division bench of Justice GS Sistani and Justice V Kameswar Rao observed that this is a case of its kind. It also said that Sabi is suffering from ‘gender identity crisis’ and the Navy must think liberally in this case.

"I don’t want a big position but neither do I want a demotion. If they are transferring me to another post, it should be similar to the previous one," Sabi Giri

Navy laid off Sabi in the beginning of this month from the position of a sailor, as the Indian Navy still hasn't inducted women sailors. While the bench upheld Navy’s decision of not allowing Sabi to stay in her job, they have asked the Navy to be compassionate towards her.

Sabi agreed for a different position in the Navy but wants an equivalent role in terms of rank and pay.

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"I don’t want a big position but neither do I want a demotion. If they are transferring me to another post, it should be similar to the previous one," she told TNM.

The HC adjourned the court on the matter until November 23. It has asked the Navy and the government to discuss and obtain instructions and notify the court about it.

Sabi’s advocate is convinced that she is mentally and physically capable to do her job as a sailor.

Her petition questions Navy’s age-old restriction on women to not become sailors. The Navy traditionally has limited the entry of women sailors in specific departments. However, it does not allow transgender people to become sailors.

Picture credit- Khabare Hindi