Supreme Court Urges Centre and States on Intersex Guidelines Within Six Months
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Vulnerable sections (SC/ST, minorities, disabled, elderly, children)· Prelims + Mains·
Why in news
The Supreme Court of India directed the Centre and States to formulate separate statutory guidelines for intersex persons within six months to prevent forced medical interventions.
Background
The petition filed by advocate Shamshravish Rein seeks a National Medical Protocol Committee and a ban on unnecessary surgeries on intersex infants. The legal basis for the petition rests on Articles 14 (Equality), 15 (Non-discrimination), and 21 (Right to Life and Liberty) of the Constitution.
Facts for Prelims
- ConstitutionArticle 14 guarantees equality before the law and equal protection of the laws.
- ConstitutionArticle 15 prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.
- ConstitutionArticle 21 protects the right to life and personal liberty, including bodily autonomy.
- FactThe Supreme Court requested a response from the Centre and States by July 2026.
For Mains
Q. Examine the constitutional safeguards required to protect the bodily autonomy and dignity of intersex individuals from non-consensual medical interventions in India.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Bodily autonomy conflict: Tension between parental rights and the child's right to physical integrity under Article 21
- Legislative vacuum: Absence of specific statutory protocols leading to unregulated and harmful medical practices on intersex infants
- Institutional oversight: Need for a National Medical Protocol Committee to standardize ethical medical guidelines across states
Keywords: Bodily Autonomy · Constitutional Morality · Non-discrimination · Statutory Guidelines · Human Rights
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