Laxminarayan Tripathi, Zainab Javid Patel challenge transgender law over self-identification
Transgender activists Laxminarayan Tripathi and Zainab Javid Patel are challenging the new Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, in the Supreme Court.
They say the law goes against their right to self-identify their gender, a right recognized by the landmark 2014 NALSA judgment.
The big issue? The act now requires medical proof for gender recognition and lets the state decide too much about personal identity.
Petition says amendments stigmatize transgender identity
The petition argues that the amendments confuse real transgender identities with forced or surgical transitions, which can add stigma.
It also points out that expressing transgender identity publicly could be criminalized, while attacks on trans people aren't punished more harshly.
The activists want a quick review from the court saying it's about basic dignity and self-determination.