Imphal, Sept 27: The Supreme Court has overturned a police notice issued to a transgender activist in Manipur, who had claimed that the state’s social welfare department misused funds intended for the transgender community. The ruling followed the activist’s cooperation with the investigation and her expression of regret over her social media comments.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan agreed to quash the notice after the activist assured them she would avoid making similar public statements in the future. The Court advised that any complaints should be addressed through proper legal avenues instead of social media.
Senior Advocate Anand Grover, representing the activist, clarified that her aim was not to harm any government agency’s reputation but to represent transgender women’s concerns within the Manipur State Transgender Welfare Board, from which she felt excluded during decision-making.
The situation arose from her Facebook post on September 1, 2023, where she accused the social welfare department of mishandling funds. Following her statements, police sought her whereabouts at her parents’ home and issued a notice under Section 160 of the CrPC, raising her concerns for personal safety.
In her petition, she referenced the Supreme Court’s landmark 2014 NALSA ruling on transgender rights and the 1978 Nandini Satpathy decision, which highlighted the need for legal protections for vulnerable individuals.
The Court had previously instructed the Manipur police not to initiate new cases based on her posts. The dismissal of the notice underscores a commitment to protecting the rights of marginalized communities, with the activist’s agreement to avoid future similar actions being pivotal in the Court’s decision.
