Over Lawyers, Activists Urge President Murmu to Withhold Assent to ‘Controversial’ Transgender Bill

A group of over 140 lawyers, law students, feminists and social activists have written to President Droupadi Murmu, urging her not to grant assent to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, and instead send it back to Parliament for reconsideration.

The appeal comes amid growing nationwide criticism of the recently passed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, with signatories raising serious concerns over both the content of the legislation and the manner in which it was cleared by Parliament.

In their letter, the group urged the President to exercise her constitutional powers to return the Bill for further scrutiny, stressing that it requires wider consultation and a more detailed legislative review.

The signatories include legal professionals, students, feminists and civil society members, who have collectively expressed apprehension over what they describe as a rushed process that overlooked stakeholder concerns.

They have specifically called for the Bill to be referred to a parliamentary committee for “impartial and thorough scrutiny”, arguing that such an exercise is essential to address gaps in the legislation and ensure that the rights of transgender persons are adequately protected.

The letter also flags procedural concerns, alleging that the Bill was passed without adequate public consultation, potentially violating established pre-legislative norms.

The development comes at a time when the Bill has already triggered protests and criticism from sections of the LGBTQIA+ community and Opposition leaders, many of whom have termed it “regressive” and lacking sensitivity toward gender identity issues.

With the legislation now awaiting presidential assent, the spotlight has shifted to Rashtrapati Bhavan, as calls grow louder for a reconsideration of the Bill before it becomes law.​