X Vs. STATE OF KARNATAKA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner is before this Court seeking for the following reliefs:-

(2.) The petitioner was born as a male on 6/4/1983 and the birth came to be registered on 20/4/1983 with registration No.557. The petitioner having been diagnosed and found suffering from gender Dysphoria on 16/7/2007 during psychiatric evaluation at the Victoria Hospital, Bangalore, the petitioner having felt like a girl in a man's body. On reassessment being made by the concerned Doctors and authorities, the petitioner underwent sex reassignment Surgery after due approval. Thereafter, the petitioner changed her name and made various applications for necessary changes of name and gender to be effected in identity documents like Aadhaar Card, driving licence and passport etc., which were so permitted.

(3.) When the petitioner made an application to respondent No.2 requesting the name and gender of the petitioner to be changed in the birth certificate to reflect her correct name and gender as 'female', respondent No.2 orally informed that Sec. 15 of The Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 (for short, 'the Act of 1969'), does not contemplate such a change and/ or a modification to be made in the birth certificate already issued and the only change that could be effected is as regards any erroneous entry made in the birth certificate. It is in that background that the petitioner is before this Court seeking for the above reliefs.