The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from the Centre regarding a plea challenging the guidelines that exclude transgender individuals, gay people, and sex workers from donating blood.
A bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra sought responses from the Central Government, National Aids Control Organization and National Blood Transfusion Council.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by activist Sharif D. Rangnekar, challenging the 2017 guidelines.
These guidelines exclude transgender persons, men who have sex with men (MSM), and female sex workers from being blood donors. The 2017 guidelines permanently defer these groups from donating blood due to their perceived risk of HIV and hepatitis infections or Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTI).
