Pune: In a first, transgender members to be part of judicial panel in Lok Adalat

Sonal Patil, PDLSA secretary, while explaining the panel-making procedure, said that this is the first time the transgender community is included under the social worker groups of the panel.

“First, we will identify them, and later they will be guided and trained about the working of the panels. There are three member groups under each panel: one judge, one advocate or legal expert, and the last is a social activist. So the trans members will be part of the social activist category,” Patil added.

Patil highlighted Article 14 of the Indian Constitution and said that PDLSA’s step towards diversity in the panel is an initiative to address gender discrimination within society and convey a message towards equality.

“All the trans people we are identifying are mostly social activists and, in fact, have done significant social work. The primary focus is to change the mindset of the people about the capability of resolving the issues in transgender discourse if provided an opportunity,” she said.

Discussing the preparation of the upcoming Lok Adalat, Patil mentioned that a special desk for traffic-related issues has already been set up in Yerwada, and remaining cases like loan recovery, electricity bills, traffic challans, matrimonial cases, and many others will be settled in court.

As of February 21, information shows that around 140 benches will be sitting to resolve the issues, and over 25,000 pending cases will be solved. The number may increase in the remaining days before March 3.