INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
ISSN(p in ): 2643-9840, ISSN(online): 2643-9875
Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025
DOI: 10.47191/ijm a/ 8-i10-11, Impac Fac o : 8.266
Page No. 5572-5576
IJMRA, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijm a.in Page 5572
A Discou se on The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019
P o . (D .) Achina Kundu1, D . Baloy Bha acha jee2
1Vice Chancello , Sikkim Na ional Law Uni e si y.
2Assis an P o esso , Sikkim Na ional Law Uni e si y
ABSTRACT: T ansgende igh s in India ha e gained signi ican a en ion and momen um in ecen yea s. The Hon'ble Sup eme
Cou o India's landma k NALSA judgemen in 2014 ecognized ansgende pe sons as a hi d gende , a i ming hei igh s o sel -
iden i y and challenging en enched social no ms. The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac was enac ed in 2019 o
sa egua d he igh s o ansgende pe sons and p omo e hei wel a e. Despi e legisla i e p og ess, challenges pe sis ega ding
en o cemen , social accep ance, and li ing wi h digni y. Ad ocacy and ac i ism con inue o play a c ucial ole in os e ing dialogue
and s i ing o a mo e inclusi e socie y. The jou ney owa d equali y and accep ance o ansgende pe sons in India is ongoing
wi h implica ions o b oade socie al change.
KEY ASPECTS INCLUDE:
- Recogni ion o Thi d Gende : The NALSA judgemen laid he g oundwo k o ansgende igh s in India.
- Legisla i e P o ec ions: The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac aims o p o ec ansgende indi iduals om
disc imina ion and p omo e wel a e.
- Cons i u ional Righ s: T ansgende pe sons a e en i led o Fundamen al Righ s unde he Cons i u ion o India.
- Challenges: En o cemen , social s igma, and limi ed awa eness o igh s emain signi ican issues.
- Ad ocacy: Con inued ac i ism is essen ial o p omo ing inclusi i y and add essing challenges aced by ansgende indi iduals.
KEYWORDS: T ansgende Righ s Ac , Thi d Gende Recogni ion, Disc imina ion P o ec ion, Ad ocacy and Ac i ism
INTRODUCTION
T ansgende igh s in India ha e gained conside able a en ion and momen um in ecen yea s, p opelled by g owing ad ocacy,
social mo emen s, and legal e o ms. T adi ionally ma ginalised, ansgende indi iduals ha e endu ed sys emic disc imina ion,
social os acism, and limi ed access o Fundamen alRigh s and se ices. The his o ic ecogni ion o ansgende pe sons as a hi d
gende by he Hon’ble Sup eme Cou o India in he landma k NALSA
1
judgemen in 2014 ep esen ed a pi o al momen in he
igh o equali y. This uling explici ly a i med he igh s o ansgende indi iduals o sel -iden i y, he eby challenging en enched
social no ms.
In 2019, he T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac was enac ed, aimed a sa egua ding he igh s o ansgende pe sons
and p omo ing hei wel a e. While his legisla ion b ough some legisla i e acknowledgmen o hei igh s, challenges emain,
including issues o en o cemen , social accep ance, and he abili y o li e wi h digni y. Ad ocacy and ac i ism con inue o play a
c ucial ole in add essing hese challenges, os e ing dialogue, and s i ing o a mo e inclusi e socie y whe e ansgende
indi iduals can ully pa icipa e and con ibu e wi hou ea o disc imina ion. The jou ney owa d equali y and accep ance o
ansgende pe sons in India is ongoing, wi h implica ions o b oade socie al change.
BACKGROUND
The g ound-b eaking NALSA uling laid he g oundwo k o he igh s o ansgende indi iduals in India by acknowledging
‘ ansgende ’ as a dis inc ‘ hi d gende .’ I es ablished a ious p o ec ions agains disc imina ion owa ds ansgende pe sons
1
NALSA s. Union o India, (2014) 5 SCC 438
A Discou se on The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019
IJMRA, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijm a.in Page 5573
and ad oca ed o hei igh s. This uling called o quo as in employmen and educa ional se ings o ansgende indi iduals, as
well as a i ming hei igh o sel -iden i y hei gende wi hou he necessi y o unde going sex eassignmen su ge y.
2
The cou de e mined ha all ansgende indi iduals a e en i led o Fundamen al Righ s unde A icle 14 (Righ o Equali y), A icle
15 (Non-Disc imina ion), A icle 16 (Equal Oppo uni y in Public Employmen ), A icle 19(1)(a) (Righ o F ee Speech), and A icle
21 (Righ o Li e) o he Cons i u ion o India. In 2020, Pa liamen o icially ecognised ‘ ansgende ’ as a legi ima e gende in India.
MEANING OF ‘TRANSGENDER’
The Camb idge Dic iona y de ines he e m ‘ ansgende ’ as an indi idual whose gende does no ma ch he body (sex) hey we e
bo n wi h.
3
Acco ding o he Ame ican Psychological Associa ion, ansgende is an umb ella e m o indi iduals whose gende iden i y,
gende exp ession, o beha iou does no con o m o ha ypically associa ed wi h he sex hey we e assigned a bi h.
4
HISTORY OF TRANSGENDER PERSONS IN INDIA
The ansgende communi y includes Hij as, eunuchs, Ko his, A a anis, Jogappas, and Shi -Shak is, among o he s. Eunuchs ha e
been p esen since he 9 h cen u y BC, he e m o igina ing om G eek and meaning "Keepe o he bed," which e lec s he
demand o cas a ed men o gua d women’s qua e s in oyal households. I appea s ha Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism
ecognised he concep o h ee gende s, as in e ed om Vedic cul u e. The Vedas (1500 BC - 500 BC) ca ego ise indi iduals in o
h ee dis inc g oups based on hei na u e o p ak i. This classi ica ion is also ound in he Kama Su a (ci ca 4 h cen u y AD) and
o he ex s, which desc ibe pumsp ak is i-p ak i ( emale na u e) and T i iya-p ak i ( hi d na u e). Nume ous ancien ex s
sugges ha hi d-sex indi iduals we e acknowledged in p e-mode n India, including hose wi h male o emale bodies as well as
in e sex indi iduals, o en iden i iable om a young age. Ancien discussions on he hi d sex can be ound in Hindu law, medicine,
linguis ics, and as ology. The Manu Sm i i (200 BC - 200 AD), a key ex in Hindu law, ou lines he biological o igins o he h ee
sexes: “A male child a ises om a highe quan i y o male seed; a emale child om emale seed dominance; when bo h a e equal,
a hi d-sex child o boy-gi l wins a e p oduced; i ei he is de icien , concep ion ails.” Addi ionally, he Indian linguis Pa anjali, in
his Sansk i g amma wo k, he Mahabhaya (200 BC), no es ha Sansk i 's h ee g amma ical gende s s em om h ee na u al
gende s. The ea lies Tamil g amma ex , he Tolkappiyam (3 d cen u y BC), simila ly acknowledges he maph odi es as a hi d
"neu e " gende alongside a eminine ca ego y o unmasculine males.
5
Hij as held signi ican posi ions in he oyal cou s o he Islamic wo ld, pa icula ly du ing he O oman Empi e and he Mughal
e a in medie al India. They eme ged as p ominen igu es, se ing as poli ical ad iso s, adminis a o s, gene als, and gua dians o
ha ems. Rega ded as in elligen , us wo hy, and ie cely loyal, Hij as had access o a ious social ci cles, enabling hem o play a
i al ole in he poli ical landscape du ing he Mughal pe iod. Mo eo e , hey held es eemed oles wi hin Islamic eligious
ins i u ions, especially in sa egua ding he holy si es o Mecca and Medina. As us ed indi iduals, hey we e able o in luence
go e nmen decisions and o en ecei ed subs an ial inancial ewa ds o hei p oximi y o oyal y. Consequen ly, Hij as
equen ly emphasised he signi icance o hei s a us du ing ha e a.
6
A he onse o B i ish ule in he Indian subcon inen , ce ain Indian s a es g an ed he hij a communi y p o ec ion and ad an ages,
which acili a ed hei inclusion in he communi y. These bene i s included access o land, ood igh s, and small mone a y
allowances om nea by ag icul u al households. Howe e , B i ish legisla ion e en ually e mina ed hese p i ileges, as land igh s
we e no passed down h ough he edi a y lines.
7
Beginning in he 18 h cen u y, colonial ule signi ican ly al e ed he si ua ion. Ea ly Eu opean accoun s e ealed ha hey we e
epulsed by hij as, s uggling o comp ehend he high espec a o ded o hem in oyal cou s and o he ins i u ions. By he la e
hal o he 19 h cen u y, he B i ish colonial adminis a ion agg essi ely sough o c iminalise he hij a communi y and supp ess
2
Ajay Singh Solanki, ‘India’s New Law on The P o ec ion o Righ s o T ansgende Pe sons’, Back o Di e si y and Equali y Law
Commi ee Publica ions(In e na ional Ba Associa ion). A ailable a : h ps://www.ibane .o g/a icle/0 3ae21b-0170-4b 7-95dd-
45b07e 1ca 6
3
A ailable a : h ps://dic iona y.camb idge.o g/dic iona y/english/ ansgende
4
A ailable a : h ps://www.apa.o g/ opics/lgb q/ ansgende -people-gende -iden i y-gende -
exp ession#:~: ex =T ansgende %20is%20an%20umb ella%20 e m, hey%20we e%20assigned%20a %20bi h.
5
M. Michel aj, ‘His o ical E olu ion o T ansgende Communi y in India’, Vol.4 No. 1 Asian Re iew o Social Sciences 17-19 (2015).
6
Ibid a 18
7
Ibid
A Discou se on The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019
IJMRA, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijm a.in Page 5574
hei ibes ac oss a ious egions o India. The C iminal T ibes Ac o 1871 classi ied hij as in ol ed in child kidnapping and
cas a ion while masque ading as women o public pe o mances. O ende s aced penal ies o up o wo yea s in p ison and/o
ines. This his o y p io o pa i ion unde sco es he p eca ious condi ions ha hij a sendu ed un il ecen ly. Howe e , he Ac was
epealed in 1952, and i s legacy pe sis s. Many local laws e lec ed p ejudicial a i udes agains ce ain ibes, including hij as.
8
Objec i e: To ecognize ansgende pe sons as a hi d gende and p o ec hei igh s, p omo ing hei wel a e and inclusi i y in
socie y.
RIGHTS OF TRANSGENDER PERSONS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
The Cons i u ion o India gua an ees ce ain Fundamen al Righ s o all indi iduals, including ansgende pe sons. These igh s a e
as ollows:
• A icle 14 (Righ o Equali y): No one may deny any “pe son” equali y be o e he law o equal p o ec ion unde he law.
The use o he gende -neu al e m “pe son” indica es ha sex o gende iden i y shall no se e as a basis o
disc imina ion in law.
• A icle 15 (P ohibi ion on Disc imina ion on a ious g ounds including Gende ): This a icle p ohibi s any o m o
disc imina ion based on ace, eligion, cas e, sex, o any combina ion he eo . This implies ha disc imina ion o
mis ea men o ansgende indi iduals in inges upon hei Fundamen al Righ s.
In he case o Mx. Alia SK s. The S a e o Wes Bengal and O s
9
, he cou held ha ansgende indi iduals ha e he
igh o seek admission o uni e si ies. The judgemen is signi ican because i unde sco es he ole o he cou s in
ensu ing ha special accommoda ions and adjus men s a e made o include ansgende indi iduals in he public
uni e si y applica ion and admission p ocess whe e none cu en ly exis s.
A icle 19 (F eedom o Speech and Exp ession): This igh g an s e e y ci izen he eedom o speech and exp ession,
which encompasses he abili y o publicly exp ess one's gende iden i y.
• A icle 21 (Righ o Li e): A icle 21, add essing he p o ec ion o li e and pe sonal libe y, s ipula es ha no indi idual
shall be dep i ed o hei li e o pe sonal libe y excep in acco dance wi h he p ocedu e es ablished by law.
In he case o Nangai s. Supe in enden o Police
10
, he Hon’ble Mad as High Cou ecognised ha compelling someone
o unde go a medical examina ion o gende iola es A icle 21. I upheld an indi idual’s igh o sel -iden i y hei gende .
OTHER LANDMARK JUDGMENTS
In he case o G. Nagalakshmi s. Di ec o Gene al o Police
11
, he Hon’ble Mad as High Cou obse ed ha , in he absence o
any special law, any indi idual has he libe y o choose hei sexual o gende iden i y and upheld he pe i ione ’s igh o selec
hei own gende .
In Pu uswamy s. Union o India
12
, he Hon’ble Sup eme Cou ecognised he cons i u ional igh o p i acy ha is inhe en in
he igh o li e, equali y, and undamen al eedoms. This includes he igh o engage in in ima e ela ionships o one’s choosing,
aswell as he igh o sexual o ien a ion and gende iden i y.
Homosexual and ansgende indi iduals cons i u e a signi ican segmen o socie y penalised by Sec ion377 o he Indian Penal
Code. The LGBT communi y is compelled o con o m o socie al no ms and endu es ha assmen , exploi a ion, c uel y, and
humilia ion. The Hon’ble Sup eme Cou , in he case o Na ej Singh Joha s. Union o India
13
, a i med ha LGBTQ+ indi iduals
in India a e en i led o all cons i u ional igh s, including he libe ies p o ec ed by he Cons i u ion o India.
8
Ibid
9
W.P. NOS. 21587 (W) OF 2019
10
(2014) 4 MLJ 12
11
(2014) 7 MLJ 452
12
(2017) 10 SCC 1
13
W i Pe i ion (C iminal) No. 27 o 2016
A Discou se on The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019
IJMRA, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijm a.in Page 5575
CHANGES UNDER THE NEW ENACTMENT
Some o he key ea u es o he law ela ing o ansgende pe sons include:
• De ini ions: This includes clea de ini ions o ‘pe son wi h in e sex a ia ion’
14
and ‘ ansgende pe son’
15
o p e en
disc imina ion, neglec , ha assmen , and in imida ion agains ansgende indi iduals wi hin educa ional se ings, as well
as de ining ‘ins i u ion’ o ensu e he p o ec ion and suppo o ansgende indi iduals.
• Non-disc imina ion: The law p ohibi s disc imina ion agains ansgende indi iduals in educa ional ins i u ions,
employmen o job oppo uni ies, heal hca e se ices, and access o public acili ies and bene i s. I u he upholds hei
igh o ee mo emen , p ope y owne ship, and he abili y o hold public o p i a e o ice.
16
• Ce i ica e o Iden i y: Indi iduals ha e he igh o sel -iden i y hei gende , and Dis ic Magis a es (designa ed
go e nmen o icials) a e equi ed o issue a ‘ce i ica e o iden i y’ as a ansgende pe son wi hou demanding any
medical o physical examina ions. Indi iduals who unde go gende -a i ming su ge y ha e he igh o apply o a new
ce i ica e ha e lec s hei upda ed gende .
17
• Equal Oppo uni y Policy o T ansgende Indi iduals: All es ablishmen s mus es ablish an equal oppo uni y policy o
ansgende indi iduals, including p ecise de ails as manda ed by law.
18
• Complain O ice : Each es ablishmen mus designa e an o ice asked wi h add essing complain s om ansgende
indi iduals.
19
• Wel a e Schemes: The go e nmen is esponsible o c ea ing wel a e schemes and p og ammes ha a e a uned o he
needs o ansgende indi iduals, ensu ing hey a e non-s igma ising and non-disc imina o y.
20
• Medical Ca e Facili ies: The go e nmen mus es ablish dedica ed HIV su eillance cen es o ansgende indi iduals,
o e medical ca e se ices including sex eassignmen su ge ies and ho monal he apies, and ensu e ha he cos s o
hese p ocedu es a e co e ed by a comp ehensi e insu ance scheme.
21
• Na ional Council o T ansgende Pe sons (NCT): The pu pose o es ablishing he NCT is o ad ise he go e nmen on
policy o mula ion, moni o i s implemen a ion, and add ess g ie ances om ansgende indi iduals.
22
• O ences and Penal ies: C imes agains ansgende indi iduals, including o ced o bonded labou , denial o access o
public spaces, physical, emo ional, o sexual abuse, and o he iola ions o he T ansgende Pe sons Ac , ca y penal ies
anging om a minimum o six mon hs o a maximum o wo yea s in p ison, along wi h mone a y ines.
23
and
24
CONCLUSION
The e has long been a c i ical need o aise awa eness among communi ies and o ganisa ions ega ding he ecogni ion o he
igh s o ansgende indi iduals and he necessi y o ea ing hem wi h basic human digni y, equal o o he gende s. This is
especially impo an in educa ion, employmen , heal hca e, and public bene i s. The T ansgende Pe sons Ac ep esen s a
signi ican s ep in India owa ds g an ing essen ial igh s and iden i y o ansgende people, signalling p og ess owa ds a mo e
inclusi e socie y.
14
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 2 (i): "pe son wi h in e sex a ia ions" means a
pe son who a bi h shows a ia ion in his o he p ima y sexual cha ac e is ics, ex e nal geni alia, ch omosomes o ho mones
om no ma i e s anda d o male o emale body.”
15
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 2 (k):" ansgende pe son" means a pe son whose
gende does no ma ch wi h he gende assigned o ha pe son a bi h and includes ans-man o ans-woman (whe he o no
such pe son has unde gone Sex Reassignmen Su ge y o ho mone he apy o lase he apy o such o he he apy), pe son wi h
in e sex a ia ions, gende quee and pe son ha ing such socio-cul u al iden i ies as kinne , hij a, a a ani and jog a.”
16
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 3
17
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 5
18
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 8
19
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 11
20
Sup a no e 19
22
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 16
23
The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019 (Ac 40 o 2019), s 18
24
Sup a no e 3
A Discou se on The T ansgende Pe sons (P o ec ion o Righ s) Ac , 2019
IJMRA, Volume 08 Issue 10 Oc obe 2025 www.ijm a.in Page 5576
Social s igma has es ic ed oppo uni ies o ansgende indi iduals ac oss a ious aspec s o hei li es, and awa eness o hei
igh s has been inadequa e. The go e nmen 's ini ia i e o ecognise and sa egua d hei igh s is p aisewo hy.
Wi h he enac men o his law, India aligns i sel wi h he human igh s s anda ds es ablished by he Uni ed Na ions in 2015.
Impo an ly, he decision o exclude he c iminalisa ion o begging by ansgende indi iduals, which was included in an ea lie
d a o he bill, helps o alle ia e he ha assmen aced by hose who may ha e limi ed means o suppo . The p io equi emen
o medical e alua ions o secu e an iden i y ce i ica e has also been elimina ed, alle ia ing po en ial auma o ansgende
indi iduals.
Howe e , he Ac has sho comings. The de ini ion o a ' ansgende pe son' is ague and excessi ely b oad, including indi iduals
wi h in e sex a ia ions, which can be misleading.
Mo eo e , he penal ies o o ences unde he Ac a e con ined o a maximum o wo yea s imp isonmen and a ine, which may
no su icien ly add ess se e e iola ions such as sexual abuse o ha assmen . Fu he mo e, he Ac neglec s o he essen ial igh s,
including ma iage, adop ion, and ma e ni y igh s, ep esen ing a missed oppo uni y o enhanced inclusi i y. One may hope
ha hese lacunas will be e icien ly add essed by he Pa liamen in he nea u u e o uly enable ansgende pe sons o li e a
li e o eedom and digni y.
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