SC Panel Seeks Withdrawal Of Transgender Bill
A Supreme Court-appointed advisory panel has asked the Centre to withdraw the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, saying the proposed law would remove the right to gender self-determination and reverse key protections recognised by the courts. The recommendation has added to growing criticism of the Bill from transgender groups, rights activists and opposition voices, all of whom say the proposed changes narrow legal recognition and increase state control over identity.
Supreme Court Panel Seeks Withdrawal Of Transgender Bill
The advisory panel reportedly said the Bill should be withdrawn because it departs from the principle of self-determination affirmed in the 2014 NALSA judgment. That ruling had recognised the right of transgender persons to self-identify their gender. The panel’s intervention is significant because it frames the proposed amendment as inconsistent with an important Supreme Court precedent.
Bill Removes Self-Perceived Gender Identity Clause
The 2026 amendment has drawn criticism for dropping the earlier recognition of self-perceived gender identity and moving towards a more restrictive framework. Critics say the Bill narrows the definition of transgender persons and could make legal recognition dependent on medical or bureaucratic scrutiny. Activists argue that such changes would undermine dignity, privacy and autonomy for transgender and gender-diverse people.
Opposition To Bill Grows Across India
The Bill has already triggered protests and public objections from transgender organisations and LGBTQIA+ groups in several parts of the country. Many have called it regressive and unconstitutional, warning that it could exclude trans men, trans women, non-binary and other gender-diverse persons from legal protection. With the Supreme Court-appointed panel now also seeking withdrawal, pressure on the Centre is likely to increase in the coming days.
