In Focus podcast | Why was the National Transgender Council kept in the dark about the 2026 Amendment Bill?
The Hindu
In this episode, Kalki Subramaniam speaks to us about why the Transgender Persons Amendment Bill has sparked protests, and how these amendments threaten to push a marginalised community back into the shadows.
The Transgender Persons Amendment Bill 2026 has sparked nationwide protests and a constitutional debate. In this exclusive interview, Kalki Subramaniam, Southern Regional Representative of the National Council for Transgender Persons, reveals how the Union Government drafted these changes without consulting the council itself.
We dissect the “red flags” of the amendment—from the removal of self-identification in favor of mandatory medical exams to the disproportionate sentencing for crimes against the community. Kalki explains how these regressive changes ignore the realities of poverty and healthcare access, effectively stripping away rights granted by the landmark NALSA judgment.
From the exclusion of trans men to the “symbolic” nature of current policy-making, this discussion covers why Kalki is prepared to resign if this bill becomes law and her urgent plea to Members of Parliament to reject it.
Guest: Kalki Subramaniam, Southern Regional Representative of the National Council for Transgender Persons.
Host: Ragavi M
Edited and produced by Ragavi M and Sharmada Venkatasubramanian
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