The Ministry of Law and Justice (MoLJ) on March 30, 2026, issued the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 to further amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
The following amendments have been stated:
• In section 4 of the principal Act, sub-section (2) shall be omitted.
• In section 6 of the principal Act,—
(a) in sub-section (1), for the words “District Magistrate”, the words “District Magistrate, after examining the recommendation of the authority and, if he considers either necessary or desirable, after taking the assistance of other medical experts” shall be substituted;
(b) after sub-section (3), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:—
“(4) The person who has been issued a certificate of identity under sub-section (1) and is so declared as a transgender person within the definition under this Act shall be entitled to change the first name in the birth certificate and all other official documents relating to the identity of such person.”.
• In section 7 of the principal Act,—
(a) in sub-section (1), for the words “such person may”, the words “such person shall” shall be substituted;
(b) after sub-section (1), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:—
“(1A) The medical institution in which the person who has undergone surgery to change gender, either as male or female, shall furnish the details of such person to the concerned District Magistrate and the authority in such form and manner as may be prescribed.”;
(c) for sub-section (2), the following sub-section shall be substituted, namely:—
“(2) A person referred to in sub-section (1) shall also make an application to the District Magistrate who shall, on receipt of an application along with the certificate issued by the Medical Superintendent or Chief Medical Officer, and on being satisfied with the correctness of such certificate, issue a certificate indicating change in gender in such form and manner and within such time, as may be prescribed.”;
(d) sub-section (3) and the proviso shall be omitted.
It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.
