Transgender ID cards to remain valid till pleas against new law decided,

[Sarah B ✅]

Title: Transgender ID cards to remain valid till pleas against new law decided, Centre tells SC
Link To: Article 🔗 [Link: newindianexpress.com/india/2026/Aug/17/transgender-​id-​cards-​to-​remain-​valid-​till-​pleas-​against-​new-​law-​decided-​centre-​tells-​sc/]
Author:
Date: 17 Aug 2026, 12:55 pm
Trigger Warning: None
Brief summary of the article
The Centre told the Supreme Court that transgender identity cards issued before the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, would remain valid while petitions challenging the amendment are pending. The court recorded the Centre's submission and said it would hear the pleas after three weeks, while several petitioners raised concerns about cancelled cards, pending applications, welfare benefits and medical services.
Main Points of the Article
"The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that transgender identity cards issued before the enactment of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, would remain valid and would not be impacted by the new law."

""I have taken instructions. The TGI ID cards issued earlier will continue to operate subject to the outcome (on the petitions)," Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana during the hearing of a batch of petitions challenging the 2026 amendment."

"The amendment has been challenged, among other grounds, for taking away the right to self-identification of gender that was recognised under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019."

"The bench recorded the submissions of the top law officer and fixed the pleas for final hearing after three weeks."

"The petitioners have referred to the apex court's 2014 judgement which had upheld the transgender persons' right to decide their self-identified gender."

"One of the pleas filed in the apex court has sought a declaration that the right to self-identification of gender, as recognised by the top court in the 2014 verdict, is a fundamental right under Article 21 that "no legislation may make conditional upon bureaucratic certification, medical procedure, surgical intervention, or any clinical gateway of the State's choosing"."
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Sarah B
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