New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to an amendment bill that introduces graded penalties for offences involving bodily harm against transgender persons.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, has drawn criticism from opposition members, who objected to the exclusion of gays and lesbians from its scope.
The legislation also provides for the creation of an authority to determine whether an individual qualifies as transgender — a provision that has triggered backlash over concerns about curbing self-identification.
According to a notification issued by the law ministry on March 30, the amended Act will come into force on a date to be notified by the Central government in the official gazette.
During parliamentary debates, the government maintained that the bill aims to safeguard transgender persons facing severe social discrimination. However, opposition MPs argued that it undermines the right to self-determination of identity and sought its referral to a standing committee for wider consultations.
The amendment seeks to define “transgender” more narrowly, explicitly excluding individuals with different sexual orientations and self-perceived gender identities from its ambit.
It clarifies that transgender persons “shall not include” those with varying sexual orientations or self-identified gender expressions, stating that the law is intended to protect a specific group historically subjected to acute social and cultural marginalisation, rather than all gender-diverse identities.
