Gazette Tracker
Gazette Tracker

Core Purpose

The Lok Sabha introduced two Bills on March 13, 2026: one to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and another to authorize appropriation from the Consolidated Fund of India for the financial year 2025-26.

Detailed Summary

The Lok Sabha, on March 13, 2026, introduced two significant Bills. The first, Bill No. 79 of 2026, proposes amendments to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (40 of 2019), to clarify definitions of 'appropriate Government' and 'transgender person,' introduce the concept of an 'authority' (medical board), streamline the process for obtaining identity and gender change certificates, and revise the constitution of the National Council for Transgender Persons by specifying representatives from State Governments and Union territories Administration by rotation from various regions, not below the rank of Director. Crucially, it replaces section 18 with new, graded penalties for offences against transgender persons, introducing stricter punishments for serious crimes like forced or bonded labour, denial of public access, forced eviction, physical/sexual/verbal/emotional/economic abuse (imprisonment from six months to two years, with fine), and more severe penalties for abduction, forced mutilation, or compelling individuals into a transgender identity for exploitation (rigorous imprisonment from five years to life, and fines ranging from one lakh to five lakh rupees, depending on the gravity and victim's age). The second, Bill No. 72 of 2026, is the Appropriation Act, 2026, which authorizes the payment and appropriation of a total sum of Rs. 2,81,289,26,00,000 (two lakh eighty-one thousand two hundred eighty-nine crore and twenty-six lakh rupees only) from the Consolidated Fund of India for various government services and purposes during the financial year 2025-26, as detailed in its Schedule across numerous Ministries and Departments, including substantial allocations for the Department of Economic Affairs and Defence Services.

Full Text

REGISTERED NO. DL-(N)04/0007/2003-26 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-13032026-270935 EXTRAORDINARY PART II — Section 2 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 4] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026/PHALGUNA 20, 1947 (Saka) Separate paging is given to this Part in order that it may be filed as a separate compilation. LOK SABHA The following Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha on 13th March, 2026:— BILL NO. 79 OF 2026 A Bill to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:- 1. (1) This Act may be called the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026. Short title and commencement. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint. 2. In section 2 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act),— Amendment of section 2. 40 of 2019. (i) for clause (a), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:— '(a) "appropriate Government” means- (i) in relation to the Central Government or any establishment wholly or substantially financed by that Government, the Central Government; (ii) in relation to a State Government or any establishment wholly or substantially financed by that Government, or any local authority within a State, the State Government; (iii) in relation to a Union territory or any establishment wholly or substantially financed by the Central Government in that Union territory, the Administrator thereof appointed under article 239 of the Constitution or such authority as may be specified by the Central Government;'; (ii) after clause (a), the following clause shall be inserted, namely:- '(aa) "authority" means a medical board, headed by a Chief Medical Officer or a Deputy Chief Medical Officer, as may be appointed by the Central Government, State Government or Union territory Administration;'; (iii) clause (i) shall be omitted; (iv) for clause (k), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:— '(k) "transgender person" means- (i) a person having such socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani and jogta, or eunuch, or a person with intersex variations specified below or a person who, at birth, has a congenital variation in one or more of the following sex characteristics as compared to male or female development:- (a) primary sexual characteristics; (b) external genitalia; (c) chromosomal patterns; (d) gonadal development; (e) endogenous hormone production or response, or such other medical conditions; or (ii) any person or child who has been, by force, allurement, inducement, deceit or undue influence, either with or without consent, compelled to assume, adopt, or outwardly present a transgender identity, by mutilation, emasculation, castration, amputation, or any surgical, chemical, or hormonal procedure or otherwise: Provided that it shall not include, nor shall ever have been so included, persons with different sexual orientations and self-perceived sexual identities.'. 3. In section 4 of the principal Act, sub-section (2) shall be omitted. Amendment of section 4. 4. In section 6 of the principal Act, — Amendment of section 6. (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.". 5. In section 7 of the principal Act,— Amendment of section 7. (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. 6. In section 16 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2), for clause (f), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:— Amendment of section 16. "(f) representatives of the State Governments and Union territories Administration, by rotation, one each from North, South, East, West and North-East regions, not below the rank of Director in the concerned Ministry or Department, to be nominated by the Central Government, Members, ex officio;". 7. For section 18 of the principal Act, the following section shall be substituted, namely:- Substitution of new section for section 18. "18. Whoever, - Offences and penalties. (a) compels or entices a transgender person to indulge in the act of forced or bonded labour other than any compulsory service for public purposes imposed by Government, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years and with fine; (b) denies a transgender person the right of passage to a public place or obstructs such person from using or having access to a public place to which other members have access to or a right to use, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years and with fine; (c) forces or causes a transgender person to leave household, village or other place of residence, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years and with fine; (d) harms or injures or endangers the life, safety, health or well-being, whether mental or physical, of a transgender person or tends to do acts including causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse and economic abuse, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to two years and with fine; (e) kidnaps or abducts any adult person and causes— (i) grievous hurt to such person, whether by mutilation, emasculation, castration, amputation, or any surgical, chemical, or hormonal procedure; or (ii) permanent or severe injury to the body or bodily functions of such person, with the intent of, or in the course of, compelling such person to assume, adopt, or outwardly present a transgender identity against the will or consent of such person, whether by force, allurement, deceit, undue influence or otherwise, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than two lakh rupees; (f) kidnaps or abducts any child and causes- (i) grievous hurt to such child, whether by mutilation, emasculation, castration, amputation, or any surgical, chemical, or hormonal procedure; or (ii) permanent or severe injury to the body or bodily functions of such child, with the intent of, or in the course of, compelling such child to assume, adopt, or outwardly present a transgender identity, whether by force, allurement, deceit, undue influence or otherwise, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than five lakh rupees; (g) by force, threat, coercion, allurement, deception, inducement, or undue influence- (i) compels any person, whether or not such person is a transgender person, to dress, present, or conduct themselves outwardly as a transgender person against the will of such person; and (ii) employs, uses, or causes such person to engage in begging, solicitation, servitude, or any other form of forced or bonded labour while so presenting, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees; and (h) by force, threat, coercion, allurement, deception, inducement, undue influence or otherwise- (i) compels any child, whether or not such child is a transgender person, to dress, present, or conduct themselves outwardly as a transgender person; and (ii) employs, uses, or causes such child to engage in begging, solicitation, servitude, or any other form of forced or bonded labour while so presenting, shall be punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to fourteen years, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than three lakh rupees.". 8. In section 22 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2), — Amendment of section 22. (a) in clause (c), after the word, brackets and figure "sub-section (1)", the words, brackets, figure and letter "and the form and manner of details to be furnished by the medical institution under sub-section (1A)," shall be inserted; (b) in clause (d), the word "revised” shall be omitted. STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS It is the legislative policy to recognise a specific class of transgender persons, who face social issues and to create a regime for their protection. The legislative policy was and is intended to protect only those who face severe social exclusion due to biological reasons for no fault of their own and no choice of their own. 2. Over the course of time, during the implementation of this enactment, certain doubts and difficulties have arisen and are likely to arise with regard to the expanse of the definition of transgender persons and how the identification of such persons is to be done under the existing definition. This is critical to the implementation of the Act, as it is of prime importance that the enactment is utilised and works towards only those who are in actual need of such protection. 3. The intent, object and purpose of the Act is and was to protect a specified class of persons socially and culturally known as transgender people who face societal discrimination of an extreme and oppressive nature. The purpose was and is not to protect each and every class of persons with various gender identities, self- perceived sex/gender identities or gender fluidities. 4. The existing vague definition of the expression "transgender person" not only makes it impossible to identify the genuine oppressed persons to whom the benefits of the Act are intended to reach, but also makes the operation and enforcement of several provisions under penal, civil and personal laws unworkable. Such a vague and broad definition of the expression “transgender person" is found to have created complex issues in the working of statutory enactments, as this vague definition is not compatible with several statutory provisions of several enactments enacted both by the Parliament and the State Legislatures. Any enactment conferring rights, privileges and protections cannot have a definition clause whereby the status entitling such rights, privileges and protections can be acquired. 5. It is therefore imperative to give a precise definition for proper and definitive identification and protection of transgender persons to whom the benefits of the Act must reach. The protection and benefits that are provided under the Act are vast in nature, and therefore, care has to be taken that such identification cannot be extended on the basis of any acquirable characteristics or personal choice or claimed self-perceived identity of an individual. 6. The Bill also contains provisions for designation of an authority and provisions providing the relevant authorities the option to seek expert advice if required. The Bill also seek to empower the transgender persons to make consequential changes in official documents. The Bill further provides for a change in the constitution of the National Council ensuring that persons, not below the rank of Director, form a part of the same as representatives of the State Governments and Union territories administration, by rotation, one each from North, South, East, West and North-East regions. 7. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 prohibits discrimination and abuse against transgender persons but its penal provision under section 18, as presently enacted, addresses only general wrongs and criminal offences and prescribes a maximum of two years' imprisonment. It does not adequately address offences of exceptional gravity that have been documented in practice. The abduction of adults and children, the infliction of reversible or irreversible bodily harm upon them through mutilation, emasculation, castration, hormone therapies / other similar therapies or chemical alteration, and their forced assumption of a transgender identity, frequently as a prelude to economic and other forms of exploitation including but not limited to begging or servitude has been observed. While scattered provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 address individual elements of these wrongs, no existing provision treats this conjunction of abduction, permanent bodily harm, and forced identity as a unified penal approach. 8. The Bill, therefore, also proposes to substitute section 18 of the principal Act, creating specific offences with graded punishments that reflect the gravity of the harm, the irreversibility of the injury, and the particular vulnerability of child victims. The proposed provisions operate cumulatively with the general criminal law and give legislative expression to the constitutional guarantees that every person's bodily integrity is inviolable, that no person may be subjected to forced labour or traffic in human beings. 9. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives. NEW DELHI; The 12th March, 2026. DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR. FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026, if enacted, is not likely to involve any expenditure of recurring or non-recurring nature from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India. MEMORANDUM REGARDING DELEGATED LEGISLATION Clause 5 of the Bill seeks to insert sub-section (1A) in section 7 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. The aforesaid sub-section of the said section empowers the appropriate Government to make rules to provide for the form and manner of details of a person who has undergone surgery to change gender, either male or female, to be furnished by the medical institutions. The matters in respect of which rules may be made and notification issued are matters of procedure and administrative detail, and it is not practicable to provide for them in the proposed legislation itself. The delegation of legislative power is, therefore, of a normal character. BILL No. 72 OF 2026 A Bill to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2025-26. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:- 1. This Act may be called the Appropriation Act, 2026. Short title. 2. From and out of the Consolidated Fund of India there may be paid and applied sums not exceeding those specified in column 3 of the Schedule amounting in the aggregate to the sum of two lakh eighty-one thousand two hundred eighty-nine crore and twenty-six lakh rupees only towards defraying the several charges which will come in course of payment during the financial year 2025-26 in respect of the services specified in column 2 of the Schedule. Issue of Rs. 281289,26,00,000 out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the financial year 2025-26. 3. The sums authorised to be paid and applied from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India by this Act shall be appropriated for the services and purposes expressed in the Schedule in relation to the said year. THE SCHEDULE (See sections 2 and 3) +------------+---------------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------+ | No. of Vote| Services and purposes | Voted by Parliament (Rs.) | Charged on the Consolidated Fund (Rs.) | Total (Rs.) | +============+=========================================================+=========================+===================================+=========================+ | 1 | Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 3 | Atomic Energy | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | Revenue | 46,75,00,000 | - | 46,75,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 6 | Department of Fertilizers. | 19230,00,00,000 | - | 19230,00,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 7 | Department of Pharmaceuticals. | 2,30,00,000 | - | 2,30,00,000 | | | Revenue | 37,00,000 | - | 37,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 8 | Ministry of Civil Aviation. | 150,01,00,000 | - | 150,01,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 9 | Ministry of Coal. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 10 | Department of Commerce. | 1084,88,00,000 | - | 1084,88,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 11 | Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.| 1,00,000 | 1,60,00,000 | 1,61,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 12 | Department of Posts. | 87,76,00,000 | - | 87,76,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 13 | Department of Telecommunications. | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | Revenue | 236,18,00,000 | - | 236,18,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 15 | Department of Food and Public Distribution. | 23641,28,00,000 | - | 23641,28,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,15,00,000 | - | 1,15,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 17 | Ministry of Corporate Affairs. | 6,00,00,000 | - | 6,00,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 18 | Ministry of Culture. | 184,04,00,000 | - | 184,04,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 19 | Ministry of Defence (Civil). | 2188,81,00,000 | 31,00,000 | 2189,12,00,000 | | | Revenue | 33,00,00,000 | 1,70,00,000 | 34,70,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 20 | Defence Services (Revenue). | 43507,97,00,000 | 7,73,00,000 | 43515,70,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 21 | Capital Outlay on Defence Services. | 1843,37,00,000 | 33,61,00,000 | 1876,98,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 22 | Defence Pensions. | 391,01,00,000 | 49,00,000 | 391,50,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 25 | Department of School Education and Literacy. | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 28 | Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.....| 16,85,00,000 | - | 16,85,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 29 | Ministry of External Affairs. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 30 | Department of Economic Affairs.. | 105491,44,00,000 | - | 105491,44,00,000 | | | Revenue | 2,89,00,000 | - | 2,89,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 32 | Department of Financial Services. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | 3005,50,00,000 | - | 3005,50,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 36 | Direct Taxes | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 41 | Pensions. | 1,00,000 | 70,00,00,000 | 70,01,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 42 | Transfers to States. | 4115,01,00,000 | 30116,80,00,000 | 34231,81,00,000 | | | Revenue | - | 4354,01,00,000 | 4354,01,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 43 | Department of Fisheries. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 44 | Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 46 | Department of Health and Family Welfare.. | 10721,89,00,000 | - | 10721,89,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 48 | Ministry of Heavy Industries. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | 54,00,000 | - | 54,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 49 | Ministry of Home Affairs. | 310,17,00,000 | - | 310,17,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 51 | Police | 1711,00,00,000 | 8,83,00,000 | 1719,83,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 52 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands. | 207,45,00,000 | - | 207,45,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 53 | Chandigarh. | 1,00,000 | 3,77,00,000 | 3,78,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 54 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 55 | Ladakh. | 63,20,00,000 | - | 63,20,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 56 | Lakshadweep. | 18,35,00,000 | - | 18,35,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 58 | Transfers to Jammu and Kashmir. | 5000,00,00,000 | - | 5000,00,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 60 | Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | Revenue | 1013,42,00,000 | - | 1013,42,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 61 | Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. | 1744,64,00,000 | - | 1744,64,00,000 | | | Revenue | 28,00,000 | - | 28,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 62 | Department of Water Resources, River Development | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | and Ganga Rejuvenation. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | | Capital | | | | | 64 | Ministry of Labour and Employment. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 65 | Law and Justice. | 2271,49,00,000 | - | 2271,49,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 66 | Election Commission. | 10,20,00,000 | - | 10,20,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 68 | Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 69 | Ministry of Mines. | 28,39,00,000 | - | 28,39,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 71 | Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 72 | Ministry of Panchayati Raj. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | 75,00,000 | - | 75,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 73 | Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.. | 1,05,00,000 | - | 1,05,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 76 | Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 79 | Ministry of Power.. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 85 | Ministry of Railways. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 86 | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. | 17647,31,00,000 | - | 17647,31,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 87 | Department of Rural Development. | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 89 | Department of Science and Technology. | 138,28,00,000 | - | 138,28,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 91 | Department of Scientific and Industrial Research | 1,28,00,000 | - | 1,28,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 92 | Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship... | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 96 | Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.. | 39,03,00,000 | - | 39,03,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 97 | Ministry of Steel.. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Capital | | | | | 98 | Ministry of Textiles. | 494,68,00,000 | - | 494,68,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 100 | Ministry of Tribal Affairs.. | 1,00,000 | - | 1,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | | 101 | Ministry of Women and Child Development. | 2,00,000 | - | 2,00,000 | | | Revenue | | | | +------------+---------------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------+ | TOTAL: | | 246690,41,00,000 | 34598,85,00,000 | 281289,26,00,000 | +------------+---------------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+-----------------------------------+-------------------------+ UPLOADED BY THE MANAGER, GOVERNMENT OF INDIA PRESS, MINTO ROAD, NEW DELHI-110002 AND PUBLISHED BY THE CONTROLLER OF PUBLICATIONS, DELHI-110054. MGIPMRND—657GI(S4)—13-03-2026. KSHITIZ MOHAN Digitally signed by KSHITIZ MOHAN Date: 2026.03.13 22:12:53 +05'30'

Never miss important gazettes

Create a free account to save gazettes, add notes, and get email alerts for keywords you care about.

Sign Up Free