Mumbai: The Bombay High Court Thursday warned Bhidan Barua, 21-year-old student from Guwahati, who wants to undergo sex change operation, that he cannot use pressure tactics and threaten to commit suicide unless his petition was heard and orders passed immediately.
The court summoned Bhidan`s lawyer Ejaz Naqvi after the student wrote a letter to the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court and other authorities threatening to commit suicide if his petition was not heard immediately.
In the petition, Bhidan, who feels he is a woman trapped in man`s body, has urged the court to restrain his parents from prohibiting him to undergo sex change operation.
Following the summons from the court, Naqvi appeared before Justices S J Vazifdar and A R Joshi.
"Your client cannot indulge in such pressure tactics and threaten the court. As a lawyer you should understand the court`s difficulties also," Justice Vazifdar said.
The court had yesterday posted the matter for hearing on May 7. Refusing to hear the matter before that, the court told Naqvi that the petition would be heard on May 7 only.
Bhidan, in his letter, had also said that since his parents have blocked his bank accounts he does not have money for lawyer fees.
On this, the judge said if needed the court would appoint an amicus curie (friend of the court) to assist him.
Bhidan had written letters to Chief Justice of India, Chief Justice of Bombay High Court and National Human Rights Commission urging them to intervene and grant him a favourable order so that he could undergo the sex change surgery or else he will commit suicide.
PTI
