Rajya Sabha passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026 by voice vote on March 26 amid opposition calls for wider debate. The Lok Sabha had cleared it on Tuesday. Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar described it as a symbol of justice for long-marginalised sections.
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha cleared the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026 by voice vote on Wednesday. The Lok Sabha passed it on Tuesday, and it now awaits the President's assent. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said, “We have brought this bill to ensure the dignity of the transgender community.” He highlighted ministry efforts since the 2019 Act, including awareness workshops, transgender job fairs, and a helpline started four years ago. Kumar stated the legislation aims to integrate all segments of society and bring transgender persons into the mainstream. The bill defines “transgender” and excludes “different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities.” It provides graded punishment based on harm inflicted. BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni argued for distinguishing “real” from “fake” transgender people, citing 805 registered transgender voters in Pune despite more seen publicly. Dr Parmar Jashvantsinh Salamsinh said intersex variations offer a verifiable basis for certification, like birth certificates. Opposition MPs questioned the haste. DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said, “Even if this bill passes with the government’s majority, the Supreme Court will strike it down as it violates Articles 14, 15, 19, and 21.” He raised concerns over criminalising the guru-chela tradition. Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury proposed 15 amendments. AAP's Sandeep Pathak noted 5,566 of 34,000 certification requests under the 2019 Act were rejected. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi asked the basis for rejections. Retired Justice Asha Menon, chair of a Supreme Court advisory committee, wrote to the minister urging withdrawal. Of 19 MPs debating for four hours, 13 were from opposition parties. The bill, tabled in Lok Sabha on March 13, faced protests with over 60,000 emails and 40,000 signatures.
