Constable undergoing sex-change operation to be treated as male constable
29-year-old Lalita Salve, a constable from Beed district in Maharashtra will get benefits granted to a male constable after completing her sex reassignment surgery, a police official said today. Salve had on May 25 undergone the first stage of sex reassignment surgery (SRS) at the state-run St. George's Hospital in Mumbai. The second stage operation will be conducted after six months. Here's more.
Salve to cover operation charges on her own
"Salve (on resuming duty) will be treated as a male constable. We have received a letter from the director general of police (DGP) in this connection. According to the letter, Salve will get all benefits entitled to male constables after joining duty," Beed Superintendent of Police G Shreedhar said. "Salve, however, will have to bear all expenses related to the surgery," he added.
Salve had to run after many government administrations
Salve had moved the Bombay HC in November 2017 seeking a direction to the state DGP to grant her leave to undergo the surgery. The court had asked her to approach the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal since it was a matter related to her service. Last month, Salve received a letter from the state Home department granting her the leave to undergo the surgery.
Lalita to be called "Lalit" now
"I have lived as a woman for 29 years. I will finally get free from this state now. I am looking forward to my new life," the constable from Majalgaon police station in Beed had earlier said. She now prefers being called "Lalit".
