Karnataka HC curbs use of ‘strip and search’ method during survey on transgenders
Bengaluru: A division bench of the Karnataka High Court has barred the state government and people from using the ‘strip and search’ method of survey to identify transgenders.
The two-judge bench, consisting of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha, directed the concerned authorities on Tuesday to keep the information collected during the survey, which began on Wednesday, strictly confidential.
The interim order was passed after hearing a petition by Anita Humanitarian Foundation that asked the court to quash the notification issued by the state government to conduct the ‘gender minority survey’. The petitioner’s advocate also argued that transgenders were being subjected to the strip and search methods in hospitals and also other transgenders who may not claim to be of the same gender.
The advocate argued that, since transgenders were already handed identity cards clarifying their gender, it was unnecessary to subject them to repeat the survey.
The bench, which heard the case, issued notice to the state government to file its statement of objection and adjourned the case to December 05.
“In the meanwhile, the Government of Karnataka and persons conducting the survey shall ensure that before calling upon transgenders to participate in the survey they are informed that the same is voluntary...We restrain the respondents from conducting any identification by strip and search method, till the next date of hearing. We further direct that any information collected during the survey be kept strictly confidential and not be disseminated."
The Court has also called upon the Department of Social Welfare to file an affidavit within three days, clearly setting out the method in which confidentiality of the information collected during the survey will be maintained.
The plea also seeks establishment of a compensation and rehabilitation fund for all transgender and gender diverse persons who were allegedly subjected to forced verification/ strip checking or other forms of the humiliation under the impugned survey "in recognition of the grave violation of their dignity and privacy".
It also seeks that the State issue a public apology to the transgender community for the "illegal, invasive and unconstitutional process" of enumeration undertaken and to assure that such actions will not be repeated.
The plea further seeks to fix accountability on erring officials who designed and implemented the impugned survey.
The plea prays for direction to frame and implement any future policy for the welfare of transgender persons only after due consultation with representatives of the transgender and LGBTQIA community,
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
