Thu Dec 26 16:53:35 UTC 2024: ## Karnataka High Court Orders Revised Birth Certificates for Transgender Persons
**Bengaluru, December 26, 2024** – The Karnataka High Court has directed the Registrar of Births and Deaths to issue revised birth certificates reflecting the changed gender of transgender individuals. The ruling comes in response to a petition filed by a 34-year-old transgender woman whose request to amend her birth certificate was denied due to limitations within the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969.
The court acknowledged that the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, allows for name and gender changes in official documents, including birth certificates, following legally recognized sex reassignment surgery. However, the 1969 Act lacks the necessary provisions to facilitate this.
Therefore, the High Court instructed the Registrar to issue revised certificates, indicating both the original and updated gender and name, until amendments are made to the 1969 Act. Furthermore, the court tasked the Karnataka Law Commission with proposing amendments to both the 1969 Act and its related rules to fully align with the spirit of the 2019 Transgender Act. The court’s decision highlights a crucial need for legal reform to better protect the rights of transgender individuals in Karnataka.
First Piper 