IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision : April 22, 2026 PRIYA ALIAS GOURAV -PETITIONER V/S PUNJAB SCHOOL EDUCATION BOARD AND ORS.

-RESPONDENTS CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KULDEEP TIWARI Present: Mr. Maninderjit Singh, Advocate (Through V.C.)

for the petitioner.

Mr. Anshul Muwal, Advocate (Through V.C.)

for the respondents No.1 and 2.

Mr. Vinish Singla, Sr. Panel Counsel for the respondents No.7 and 8.

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KULDEEP TIWARI, J. (ORAL)

1. The present writ petition assails Rule 2.1 of the undated instructions (Annexure P-19) issued by the Punjab School Education Board, to the extent that it mandates the requirement of a medical certificate and publication of the name in the Gazette of the Government of India for effecting a change of name as well as sex category in the official records of the Board. The petitioner further seeks issuance of directions to the respondents No.1 to 3 to record her changed name and gender in their official records and to issue revised certificates accordingly.

2. The challenge is founded on the ground that the mandate (supra) is contrary to the law laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in “National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of I