NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026, amending the original 2019 Act, with a voice vote.
The Bill was introduced by the Social Justice and Empowerment Minister, Virendra Kumar.
The Bill alters the definition of transgender person to exclude several individuals.
According to the statement of the objects and reasons for the bill, 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.
The definition of a transgender person as per the Bill reads, “a person having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta, or eunuch, or a person with intersex variations specified below or a person who, at birth, has a congenital variation in one or more of the following sex characteristics as compared to male or female development:— (a) primary sexual characteristics; (b) external genitalia; (c) chromosomal patterns; (d) gonadal development; (e) endogenous hormone production or response, or such other medical conditions.”
The Bill also includes transgender persons coerced into their gender identity by any sort of force; however, it excludes people who “self-perceive” as transgender persons, as Section 3 of the Amendment Bill omits Section 4(2) of the 2019 Act.
With the amendments, the District Magistrate can issue a certificate of identity only after examining the recommendation of the authority and, after taking the assistance of other medical experts, if needed.
The Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 11 am on Wednesday. The Bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha on March 14 and was met with protests from transgender persons across the nation. (ANI)
Also Read: IBC Amendment Bill in 2nd half of Budget session, a lot more divestment coming: Sitharaman