SupremeToday Landscape Ad
Back
Next
Judicial Analysis Court Copy Headnote Facts Arguments Court observation
Listen Audio Icon Pause Audio Icon
judgment-img

2000 Supreme(Guj) 79

Gujarat High Court
Judgename :C.K.THAKKER, D.M.Dharmadhikari
MULLA FAIZAL - Appellant
Versus
STATE - Respondent
L.P.A.195 of 1999
Decided On : 02/16/2000

Advocates Appeared: PUJARI LAXMAN, SEJAL MANDALIA, UTPAL PANCHAL

Headnote:

Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 - Section 15 - Registration of Births and Deaths Rules, 1973 - Rule 12 - Claim to change of sex in the entry - Appeal was dismissed by the learned Single Judge on the ground that the appropriate remedy for the appellant is filing of a civil suit for declaration in the competent Civil Court - Held, Since the respondent-authorities, who are in charge of maintenance of register of Births, have been enjoined with a duty to entertain applications for correction of entries in the Register and can for that purpose make necessary enquiries, the learned single Judge was not right in relegating the appellant to a remedy of civil suit for seeking a declaration regarding his sex - In Court’s considered opinion, the authorities, under the provisions of Sec. 15 read with Rule 12 of the Rules framed thereunder, are duty-bound in law to make necessary enquiries, and if necessary, to obtain medical opinion to grant change of entry in the birth register regarding the sex of the appellant and to issue to him a corrected Birth certificate - We find absolutely no legal impediment in the same and the reliance on the letter quoted above is totally misplaced - The said letter does not at all apply to the case like the present one - Here the change in the entries in the Register is sought not on the basis of change of sex, but on the basis that the appellant was born as a natural male although with some deformity in his sexual organ - It would not be proper for the Court to relegate the appellant to an onerous remedy of civil suit even if that be held to be available to him - Appeal allowed. (Para 10)

D. M. DHARMADHIKARI, J.

( 1 ) THE facts of this case are extraordinary, calling for grant of extraordinary relief and directions in favour of the appellant. The appellant claims change of entry regarding his sex in the Register of Birth maintained under the provisions of Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 The appellants application for change of entry in the Register of Births regarding his sex having not been granted by the concerned authority, respondents 3, District Registrar (Births and Deaths) and Chief District Health Officer, appellant approached this Court by filing a Special Civil Application, which has been dismissed by the learned Single Judge summarily by order dated 17-2-1999 on the ground that the appropriate remedy for the appellant is filing of a civil suit for declaration in the competent Civil Court.

( 2 ) THE appellant was born on 28-4-1976 at Umarwada in a rural area of ankleshwar Taluka. According to the appellant, when he was born, the parents of the appellant could not identify his sex as male or female as the external genitals were ambiguous. Since the appellants private parts as a new born child looked more like that of a female, the parents of the appellant got his name registered in the Register of Births as a female child. The Register was maintained in Umarwada Gram Panchayat. A birth certificate, Annexure "a", was issued by the Panchayat. Since the appellants private parts showed some deformity, the parents of the appellant consulted a doctor. The doctor advised them to get the child medically checked up every year in the course of his growth. For the aforesaid reason, the appellant took up his S. S. C. examination as a female. The appellants parents were worried that even with the growth of age, he did not menstruate as a female. The appellant, however, had started feeling that he was a male. His voice started getting husky and hair began to sport on his chin and upper lip. The parents of the appellant then took him to the Lokhat sarvajanik Medical Trust, Surat. The appellant was examined by a Panel of doctors, consisting of Psychiatrist, Plastic Surgeon and Superintendent of hospital. On his medical examination by a team of experts, he was given a certificate that he belongs to male gender. His case was diagnosed as one of perineal Hypospadias, with left undescended testis. According to the doctors certificate, the appellant is a full male genetically, endocrinologically and psychologically.

( 3 ) THE doctors, however, advised that some minor operations were required to give a push to the natural process of the appellants growth as a male. The appellant underwent three operations, through which the penis, hidden and underdeveloped, was dissected upto the root and its size was made adequate. After the operation, the appellant is a complete male.

( 4 ) ACCORDING to the appellant, although he is a male and comes from a very poor family, as he is not recognized by society as a male, he is unable to earn his livelihood as a male. He was not in a position to obtain licence for rickshaw driving as a male. The appellant wanted to go abroad in Gulf countries for earning his livelihood, but because of his birth certificate to be a female, he could not get a passport as a male.

( 5 ) THE parents of the appellant on his behalf made an application to the taluka Development Officer for making necessary changes about the appellants sex in the records and for issuance of a fresh birth certificate to him, after making corrections in the entry regarding his sex. The Taluka Development officer sought opinion on his application from respondent No. 2, Commissioner, health, Medical Services and Medical Education. On that opinion sought, the additional Deputy Chief Registrar of Births and Deaths and Deputy Director (Statistics), Health Medical Services, Medical Education, Gandhinagar, sent advice to the District Registrar, Births and Deaths, and Chief District Medical officer, District Panchayat, Bharuch. Acco









Click Here to Read the rest of this document
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
SupremeToday Portrait Ad
supreme today icon
logo-black

An indispensable Tool for Legal Professionals, Endorsed by Various High Court and Judicial Officers

Please visit our Training & Support
Center or Contact Us for assistance

qr

Scan Me!

India’s Legal research and Law Firm App, Download now!

For Daily Legal Updates, Join us on :

whatsapp-icon Back to top