Rajasthan High Court Questions Transgender Rights Amendments

The Rajasthan High Court has called upon the Central Government to provide a formal response to a petition challenging key provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026. The petition, filed by Nai Bhor Sanstha, argues that the amendments are regressive and undermine the rights and autonomy of transgender individuals.

Central to the petitioners' concerns is the requirement for transgender individuals to undergo a physical examination by a medical board for gender identification, which they claim violates privacy rights. Moreover, the amendments introduce new offenses with stricter penalties, which the petitioners say are vaguely defined and prone to misuse.

With the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill having been enacted in March 2026, there have been significant protests within the community, especially over the removal of self-identification categories like 'trans-man' and 'trans-woman'. The court seeks clarity on the constitutional validity of these amendments from the Union government.

(With inputs from agencies.)