BENGALURU: Members of the Karnataka State Gender and Sexuality Minorities Coalition have written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opposing the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, stating that the proposed law would roll back the rights of transgender persons.
The coalition said the amendment undermines the framework established by the Supreme Court in the landmark National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (2014) judgment, which recognised the right of individuals to self-identify their gender.
The coalition said, the amendment narrows the definition of “transgender person” by limiting it mainly to certain socio-cultural identities and people with intersex variations at birth, excluding several gender identities, including genderqueer and non-binary persons.
They also raised concerns about the removal of provisions guaranteeing the right to self-perceived gender identity, under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. Under the proposed amendment, individuals seeking recognition as transgender would need certification from a government-appointed medical board, and the final decision would rest with the district magistrate. The coalition claimed that the amendment could jeopardise the rights of people currently recognised as transgender.