Tamil Nadu police officers who harass LGBTQIA+ community members will now be punished by the government, Live Law reported on Thursday. The state administration has amended the Subordinate Police Officers’ Conduct Rules, 1964 to pave way for punishment in such cases.

“No police officer shall indulge in any act of harassment of any person belonging to the LGBTQIA+ [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual] Community and the persons working for the welfare of the said community,” the amendment published in a state gazette notification on February 16 said.

The move comes months after the Madras High Court had said that continuous efforts were required to tackle prejudices against the LGBTQIA+ community.

In October, the court had made the remarks based on a petition filed by a lesbian couple seeking protection against harassment from the police and their families.

In their plea filed in June, the couple had accused the police of asking harassing questions while investigating a missing person’s report filed by the parents of one of the women.

The court had suggested a slew of measures, including changes to the laws and the curricula of educational institutions to remove prejudices against the LGBTQIA+ community.

On December 7, the Tamil Nadu government had told the court that it was seriously considering amendments to the Police Conduct Rules, according to Live Law.

The court had appreciated the state government and had said that the new rules would be effectively instrumental in ensuring that the LGBTQIA+ community did not suffer harassment by police officers.

“This court is confident that regular sensitisation programmes will definitely help the police officers change their attitude insofar as the LGBTQIA+ Community is concerned, and in the future, instances warranting the use of this particular Conduct Rule to punish erring police officers will become rare,” the court had said.