New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday with the aim of broadening the legal definition of transgender persons and making existing protections more inclusive.
According to the proposed legislation, the amendment seeks to expand the current definition of a transgender person to ensure that a wider group of individuals can access the benefits and safeguards provided under the law.
The move has been described as an attempt to make the legislation more inclusive so that all bona fide individuals are able to receive protections and welfare support.
The existing law defines a transgender person as someone whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth. The amendment aims to widen this definition, though detailed provisions of the new bill are expected to be placed before Parliament as the legislative process moves forward.
The original law came into force on January 10, 2020, after Parliament passed the 2019 Act to safeguard the rights of transgender individuals and prohibit discrimination. The Act recognises the right to self-perceived gender identity and bars discrimination in areas such as education, employment, healthcare and access to public services, while also mandating welfare measures for the community.
However, the law has faced criticism from activists and sections of the transgender community since its enactment. Critics have argued that the requirement for a certificate of identity issued by a district magistrate, rather than a system based solely on self-identification, places bureaucratic hurdles in the process of recognition. Others have also raised concerns that the penalties prescribed for crimes against transgender persons are lower than those for offences against cisgender women.
The introduction of the amendment comes amid continuing discussions on strengthening legal and social protections for transgender persons. In recent months, the National Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment have held national consultations on improving the implementation of the 2019 law.
In October 2025, the government also constituted an advisory committee headed by Justice Asha Menon to review issues related to the implementation of the Act and suggest measures to improve protections and welfare for the transgender community.
”It is the legislative policy to recognise a specific class of transgender persons, who face social issues and to create a regime for their protection. The legislative policy was and is intended to protect only those who face severe social exclusion due to biological reasons for no fault of their own and no choice of their own,” Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar said in the Statement of Objects and Reason of the bill.
