Kerala and Delhi high courts to hear transgender amendment challenges
India's new Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 is under fire in both the Kerala and Delhi High Courts.
Petitioners and individuals say the law unfairly forces medical checks for gender recognition, making self-identification much harder.
The courts are set to hear these challenges soon: Kerala on April 10 and Delhi on July 22.
Petitioners oppose medical proof gender requirement
Petitioners argue the amendment goes against their right to choose their gender without medical proof, which was protected by a landmark 2014 Supreme Court ruling.
In Kerala, stories include a trans woman who says a medical condition makes surgery life-threatening and could leave her without legal recognition and a trans man whose hormone therapy was suddenly stopped.
In Delhi, concerns focus on privacy risks and fears of being criminalized just for being themselves.