Plea against Transgender Act: Kerala HC seeks central govt’s views

Kochi: High court has sought instructions from the central govt in two petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, which received Presidential assent on March 30 and came into force with immediate effect.Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas was considering the petitions filed by two transgender persons, who alleged that the impugned Act introduces regressive and unconstitutional provisions that reverse the protections afforded by the parent legislation of 2019, by imposing medical and bureaucratic barriers and narrowing the scope of legal recognition. The court adjourned the petitions to April 10 for a detailed hearing. The petitioners challenged the definition of a transgender person under the impugned Act, contending that it excludes trans men and trans women who have not undergone medical procedures, as well as non-binary and genderqueer persons. They further alleged that the Act mandates medical procedures and certification for legal recognition of gender identity and compels the disclosure of sensitive personal medical information to state authorities, thereby infringing the right to privacy.The petitioners also claimed that the impugned Act fails to provide adequate safeguards in critical areas such as education, healthcare, employment, housing, and social security.