New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice to the central government and others on a plea challenging rules that prevent blood donation by gay men, transgender persons and sex workers.
A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra sought a response from the Centre, National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC), National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and asked them to file their response.
On October 11, 2017, the NBTC and the NACO of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare notified Guidelines on Blood Donor Selection and Blood Donor Referral and these guidelines permanently restrain transgenders, female sex workers and LGBTQI persons from donating blood.
The Top Court was hearing a petition filed by one Sharif D Rangnekar, challenging the constitutional validity of Blood Donor rules of 2017. (with Agency inputs)
