The introduction of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha has raised serious concerns among LGBTQ+ activists and human rights organisations in Pune. The activists say the proposed changes could weaken important protections given to transgender persons under the existing law, which is not acceptable.
According to the proposal, the amendment aims to change key provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, especially those related to the legal recognition of gender identity.
Activists said one of the most controversial changes in the new bill is the removal of the provision that allows transgender persons to identify their gender based on their own self-perception. The 2019 law recognised the right of individuals to determine their gender identity according to their own understanding. However, under the proposed amendment, people seeking official recognition as transgender would need verification from a medical authority before receiving a certificate.
'Matter of our dignity and autonomy'
Manasvi Goilkar, an LGBTQ activist, said that according to the proposal, applicants would have to approach a medical board headed by a Chief Medical Officer or Deputy Chief Medical Officer. The board would examine the individual and then give its recommendation to the District Magistrate, who would decide whether to issue the transgender identity certificate. “It replaces the principle of self-identification with medical scrutiny and could make the process more difficult for transgender persons. It is a matter of our dignity and autonomy,” Goilkar said.
Christina Evers, another activist, highlighted, “As a transgender woman, I reject the Trans Amendment Bill 2026 because it reduces our lives to political bargaining chips. My dignity is not up for debate, and no law that denies acknowledgement or equality can ever claim to represent justice.”
'Sidelines voices of Bahujan LGBTIQ+ communities'
Dhanashri Ninawe, a law student, said, “The bill not only deprives transgender persons of the right to self-determination recognised in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India and protected under Articles 14, 15, 19 and 21 of the Constitution, but also sidelines the voices of Bahujan LGBTIQ+ communities. Long-standing demands for horizontal reservation remain unaddressed. The bill introduces vague and unscientific definitions and shows a poor understanding of intersex persons, raising serious concerns about its regressive implications.”
Shyam Konnur, Founder and CEO of Mist LGBTQ Foundation, said, “Self-identification is not a privilege to be granted; it is a fundamental human right. When we replace a person’s lived truth with a clinical diagnosis or a bureaucratic stamp, we don’t just undermine the law, we undermine the very dignity of the human spirit.”
“By removing the right to self-declaration, the administration demonstrates a profound lack of empathy and a misunderstanding of the transgender experience. This bill risks erasing the identities of trans men and non-binary individuals, pushing our community back into the shadows of medical scrutiny and social exclusion. We do not need to be 'verified' to exist; we need to be respected as equal citizens under the Constitution,” he added.
The activists urged the government to reconsider the proposed amendment and ensure that the rights of transgender persons remain protected under the law.
