Lok Sabha Approves Amendment to Transgender Persons Act: What it Means

The Lok Sabha has approved an amendment to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, sparking debate over its impact on LGBTQ rights and the definition of 'transgender' in Indian law.

Transgender Rights Bill Amended

IMAGE: Proceedings of the Lok Sabha during the Budget Session (2026-27) of Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday. Photograph: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab

Key Points

The Lok Sabha passed a bill amending the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act.
The amendment excludes social orientations from the scope of the transgender rights law.
The bill introduces graded punishment, potentially up to 14 years in jail, for harming transgender individuals.
The government asserts the amendment aims to protect individuals facing discrimination due to biological issues.
Opposition members criticised the bill for allegedly undermining self-determination of identity for LGBTQ individuals.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill to amend a law on protection and rights of transgender persons, which seeks to exclude social orientations from the ambit of the statute and provides for graded punishment based on the gravity of harm inflicted on such people.

Responding to the debate on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said the proposed legislation aims to provide protection to only those who face boycott due to biological issues.

He asserted that the amendment will ensure that transgender persons continue to get legal recognition and protection.

Kumar said while the 2019 law had a provision for a maximum of two years of imprisonment, the amendment bill provides for a maximum of 14 years in jail with a penalty.

Before the passage of the bill, the House also rejected amendments moved by opposition members by a voice vote.

Opposition Concerns

While the government said the objective is to provide protection to such persons, the opposition slammed the proposed legislation for taking away the right to self-determination of identity, such as gay and lesbian individuals, and demanded that it be sent to a standing committee for proper consultations.

The bill seeks to give a precise definition of the term "transgender" and exclude "different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities" from the proposed law's ambit was introduced in Lok Sabha earlier this month.

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