Amid opp, Parl passes bill to amend law on protection & rights of transgender persons

New Delhi, March 25: Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill to amend a law on protection and rights of transgender persons that proposes excluding social orientations from the ambit of the statute, with Rajya Sabha giving its nod, even as opposition members pressed for sending it to a select committee.
The bill, which seeks to amend Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act 2019, also provides for graded punishment based on the gravity of harm inflicted on such people. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Replying to the debate on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Upper House, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said the proposed legislation is an effort to take along all segments of the society together.
He said that the bill aims to provide protection to only those who face discrimination due to biological issues. The minister asserted that the amendment will ensure that transgender persons continue to get legal recognition and protection.
The Modi government is committed to protecting all those people who are suffering due to biological reasons, he said adding that their rights will be protected.
The minister opined that such persons should be brought into the mainstream so that they should not live in dejection.
Highlighting the steps taken by the government for the welfare of the community, the minister said that transgender welfare boards have been set up in over 30 states. This bill will bring administrative clarity and protect rights of the transgender persons.
The minister said that the legislation will help end discrimination of transgender persons saying the bill is clear resolve of the Modi government which believes in Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas.
The government is working towards emancipation and empowerment of every person and the proposed legislation is an effort to take all segments of society together, he stated.
The Modi government is committed to protecting all those people who are suffering due to biological reasons.
The bill was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha after rejecting amendments moved by the Opposition. The House did not approve the demands by Opposition for sending the bill to select committee.
“The bill reflects our nation’s commitment to ensuring that every citizen enjoys equal rights and lives with dignity and respect. This bill is not merely a legal reform but a pathway to justice for those who have long faced social exclusion and discrimination due to their identity,” he said.
“Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas is not just a slogan, but a firm resolve of our government, which under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working toward building and India where every citizen can move forward with dignity and hope,” he said.
He assured the House that this step is not merely a legal exercise but a national commitment to build a strong self reliant and inclusive India.
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. It was introduced in Lok Sabha earlier this month. (PTI)