India's parliament on Wednesday passed a bill that LGBTQ groups warned could roll back key protections for transgender people, including the right to determine their own gender identities.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026 narrows the legal definition of trans people by emphasising traditional Indian socio-cultural identities such as "hijra" and "aravani", a move critics say risks excluding trans men, trans women and non-binary people.
It also introduces a certification process requiring approval from medical boards and district authorities, with additional hurdles for those undergoing gender-affirming procedures.
Authorities say the changes are meant to streamline implementation and strengthen safeguards against exploitation and trafficking.
Opposition leaders and rights groups argue the bill runs counter to a landmark 2014 Supreme Court ruling that recognised transgender people's right to self-identify, calling the new provisions a form of "medical gatekeeping".
The bill was debated and cleared by both houses on Wednesday. It will be sent to the president for assent before it can become law.
Activists have vowed to challenge the legislation in the Supreme Court and to take to the streets.
"This is a country which has a glorious history of allowing people to identify their gender identity... This bill is nothing but trashy colonial legislation," opposition Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale said during debates.
MP Sanjay Singh, from the opposition Aam Aadmi Party, said the bill will "severely impact the community's self-respect and it needs to be thrown out".
"We cannot let this happen to us, this legislation will be challenged," said Kabir Maan, an educator and a trans man.
India has been seen as a regional leader in legally recognising transgender rights over the past decade, following the court ruling and a 2019 law aimed at protecting the community.
But discrimination, stigma and barriers to healthcare and employment remain widespread, and activists and community members fear the amendments could deepen these challenges by making legal recognition harder to obtain.