Centre Moves Supreme Court To Transfer Petitions Challenging Transgender Amendment Act 2026 From High Courts

The Union Government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it has filed transfer petitions seeking to bring before the Supreme Court the various challenges pending in High Courts against the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights (Amendment) Act 2026.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter before a bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, requesting that the transfer petitions be listed on Friday.

“We have filed transfer petitions to transfer the challenge to the Transgender Amendment Act here in this Court. Can the transfer petition be listed on Friday? If notice also goes, we can ask the High Court to wait,” Mehta submitted.

The Chief Justice, however, indicated that allowing High Courts to examine the issue may have its own advantages.

“Sometimes we can have advantage of High Court view also,” the CJI observed.

Responding, Mehta said that multiple High Courts are seized of the issue, raising the possibility of conflicting rulings.

“There are more than one High Court. There may be divergent views,” he said.

The Chief Justice responded briefly, saying, “We will see.”

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the Union on writ petitions against the 2026 Amendment, which is challenged for removing the concept of self-identification of gender.