Three transgenders preside over as Lok Adalat members

MUMBAI: Three transgenders from an NGO, Kinnar Maa Trust, presided over as permanent members at three Lok Adalats in the city on Saturday.

All three of them presided over as panelists in the fourth Lok Adalat session held on Saturday. They may also be considered for the fifth session of the year on December 8.

The panelists include - Priya Patil, Sonalee Chaukekar and Anita Wadekar, who have been appointed at the City Civil and Sessions Court, Dindoshi, Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Girgaon Court, and Court of Metropolitan Magistrate, Mulund court, respectively.

The NGO, representing transgenders, is run by Salma Khan, 40, who was earlier this year, appointed as a panel member for the Lok Adalat at the Mumbai District Suburban Legal Services Authority. Khan had earlier presided over two other Lok Adalat sessions, which had begun on February 10 this year.

“Despite the NALSA judgement of 2014, wherein the rights of transgenders were recognised, our community is still vulnerable. It is a welcome change for our community that three members from my NGO have been appointed as permanent members at the Lok Adalat,” said Khan, president of Kinnar Maa Trust.

“We were working on awareness about transgenders, which is why, we have appointed all four of them on permanent panels,” said Yatin Game, secretary, Mumbai District Legal Services Authority. He added that they have arround 60-65 panelists (apart from transgenders) across different locations and intend to appoint another 20-25 transgender panelists before next session.