Transgender Persons Bill requires medical, administrative certification for gender recognition
India
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, and it is making some big changes.
Instead of letting people self-identify their gender, as supported by a 2014 Supreme Court ruling, the bill now asks for a certification-based mechanism anchored in a medical authority and administrative approval to legally recognize someone's gender identity.
Certification sparks privacy and rollback fears
This shift means transgender people would need approval from medical authorities instead of deciding for themselves, raising concerns about personal freedom and privacy.
Many feel this could roll back progress made since the 2014 NALSA ruling, turning what was once a personal right into something that needs official sign-off.