In April this year, based on a one-man committee report (Chamayya committee), the state assembly amended the Karnataka Police Act of 1964 making provisions in the act that would regulate eunuchs.
Even as city’s gays are preparing to celebrate the second anniversary (July 2) of a Delhi high court ruling that decriminalised homosexuality and recognised the constitutional right to equality, liberty, dignity and privacy of sexual minorities, there is another blast from the past to haunt sexual minorities here.
In April this year, based on a one-man committee report (Chamayya committee), the state assembly amended the Karnataka Police Act of 1964 making provisions in the act that would regulate eunuchs.
To protest against this, sexual minority groups, sex workers, NGOs, community-based organisations and lawyers will gather at Town Hall between 3pm to 6pm on Friday. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, representatives from the community as well as lawyers pointed out how the act would be a disadvantage to sexual minorities.
In March this year, the state assembly approved the Karnataka Repealing and Amending (Regional Laws) Bill, 2009. The act repealed by this bill included the Hyderabad Eunuchs Act which is a regressive law that endorses draconian police measures against an already marginalised and vulnerable community.
The Hyderabad Eunuchs Act was directly derived from the colonial-era Criminal Tribes Act, which notified all members of certain tribes, castes and social groups as criminal at birth.
“The use of vague language and ‘catch-all’ provisions in this amendment grants the Karnataka police broad powers to violate human rights of eunuchs and potentially other sexual minorities according to the commissioner’s unlimited discretion.
This amendment is in direct violation of the Delhi high court’s ruling that clearly keeps consenting adults out of the purview of unnatural offences,” said Akkai Padmashali, an active member of Campaign for Sex Workers’ and Sexual Minorities’ Rights (CSMR).
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