Supreme Court Raises Concern Over Blanket Ban on Transgenders as Blood Donors
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Background of the Case On May 15, 2025, the Supreme Court of India expressed serious concern over the categorization of transgender persons as “risky” blood donors , questioning the constitutional validity of Sections 12 and 51 of the Blood Donor Guidelines, 2017 . A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh was hearing a petition filed by Thangjam Santa Singh , a Manipur-based transgender and social activist, challenging the blanket ban on blood donation by transgender individuals, men having sex with men (MSM), and female sex workers . These guidelines, issued by the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC) , classify these groups as “high risk” for infections like HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C . Supreme Court’s Observations on Discrimination The Supreme Court questioned the constitutionality and fairness of these guidelines, particularly the blanket exclusion of the entire transgender community . The bench remarked: “Are we going to brand all transge...