India's Parliament has passed a bill to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019, despite opposition from activists and lawmakers. The bill proposes to exclude social orientations from the law's ambit and provides for graded punishment based on the gravity of harm inflicted on transgender persons.
Minister Virendra Kumar said the bill aims to provide protection to those who face discrimination due to biological issues and will ensure that transgender persons continue to get legal recognition and protection.
The bill was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha after rejecting amendments moved by the Opposition. Several members participated in the debate, with some pressing for sending the bill to a select committee.
Opposition MPs raised concerns about the bill's provisions, including the criminalisation of alluring someone to present as transgender, which they said was vague and risky. They also demanded consultation from stakeholders, legal experts, and the transgender community.
The bill seeks to give a precise definition of the term 'transgender' and exclude 'different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities' from the proposed law's ambit.
