
Trans woman gets passport with TG cert as identity proof
A gender rights activist, she is now looking forward to attending an international event on transgender issues in London next month.
"I am relieved and happy. Winning this passport battle is for the trans community at large. From now on, any community person applying for a passport can cite this example and the court ruling to make the process smoother," Das Mazumder told TOI.
She had applied for her passport for the first time in 2023.
During the interview, her TG ID card was rejected as an identity document. Not giving up, Das Mazumder approached passport officials, stressing that according to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, TG ID is a valid document. Receiving no positive response, she moved the high court through counsel Suman Ganguly. On July 18, Justice Amrita Sinha directed the passport office to consider the petitioner's application to recognise the TG card as a valid identity document while ordering Das Mazumder to apply afresh.
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Accordingly, she reapplied on July 14, after which the process began. Even the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate played a proactive role by ensuring a smooth police verification, done on July 16. The passport arrived at Das Mazumder's Naihati address on Tuesday evening.
"Once the court intervened, the support came rolling in from all authorities, ensuring a smooth procedure. I hope this serves as a trendsetter where officials accept the TG card as a valid document," said Bappaditya Mukherjee of Prantakatha, who is also Das Mazumder's spouse.
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