MADRAS – Central News Hub

One free seat for transgenders in colleges under Madras University

The university is already providing two free seats in each college affiliated to it for poor students who are socially and economically backward…reports Asian Lite News

Madras University is planning to provide one free seat to transgenders in each college affiliated with it for Under Graduate course.

This is to promote education of transgenders. This will come into effect from academic year 2022-23.

The university is already providing two free seats in each college affiliated to it for poor students who are socially and economically backward.

S. Gowri, Vice-chancellor of Madras University while speaking to IANS said: “We are planning to allot at least one seat in each college affiliated under the University for free to people from transgender community. This is for promoting the education of transgender people.”

She said that the university is planning to get the approval of the syndicate for the proposal during its next sitting.

During the 2021-22 academic year, the university had allocated a supernumerary seat in college for postgraduate programme to transgenders but no one joined.

The university has enrolled 340 students from 131 families with poor economic backgrounds during the 2021-22 academic year. The Vice-Chancellor also said that the university will waive the fee for transgenders who will be joining the undergraduate course during this academic year.

Kalki Subramaniam, transgender activist, writer, poet, and painter who had stood for transgender rights said: “This is a welcome move of Madras University. I am happy that awareness is growing among people regarding transgender people and our situation. I have always been a votary for higher education to transgender people and the Madras University has taken a step in the right direction.”

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Madras HC turns heat on EC for second Covid wave

The minister had petitioned the court seeking direction to the Election Commission to follow a slew of measures in ensuring fairness during the counting of votes on May 2 for Karur constituency…reports Asian Lite News.

Lashing out against the Election Commission, the Madras High Court on Monday termed it “the most irresponsible institution in the country” and should probably face murder charges for not preventing parties from breaching Covid-19 protocols during campaigning during the Assembly elections.

It also warned of stopping the counting process on May 2 unless proper plans were drawn up for the process.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, while hearing a plea moved by Tamil Nadu Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskhar, said: “You (EC) are the only institution responsible for the situation of Covid and should probably be put on murder charges for not preventing political parties from misuse of Covid 19 protocol.

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You have been singularly lacking any kind of exercise of authority. You have not taken measures against political parties holding rallies despite the court saying ‘Maintain Covid protocols, maintain Covid protocols’.”

The minister had petitioned the court seeking direction to the Election Commission to follow a slew of measures in ensuring fairness during the counting of votes on May 2 for Karur constituency where he had contested the elections as an AIADMK candidate. There were 77 candidates in fray at Karur constituency.

“We assure you that we will stop counting if we do not find before May 2 a blueprint on how proper maintenance of Covid protocol is assured so that this state does not succumb to the idiosyncrasies any further,” the bench said.

The Chief Justice also observed that public health is of paramount importance and that it was distressing to remind constitutional authorities on the counting and possibilities of a further surge after May 2.

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