LGBTQ rights in Telangana

LGBTQ rights in Telangana
Legal statusLegal since 2018[1]
Gender identityThird gender recognised; transgender people may change legal gender[2]
Discrimination protectionsAnti-discrimination protections under Supreme Court rulings Navtej Singh Johar (2018) and NALSA (2014)[3]
Family rights
Recognition of relationshipsNo legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Telangana; live-in relationships allowed[4]
AdoptionNo[5]

LGBT rights in Telangana refer to the legal status, protections, challenges, and activism related to LGBTQ+ people in the Indian state of Telangana.

Historical context

Historical reporting and scholarship describe the long presence of gender-variant communities in the Indian subcontinent, including the Deccan region.[6] The Jogappas are a gender-variant community traditionally associated with the worship of the goddess Yellamma. The members -often male at birth—adopt feminine roles, are ritually married to the deity and follow specific customs such as the prohibition on castration[7] Historical compilations such as Indian Antiquary also record eunuchs in Deccan polities, including named eunuch officers and attendants referenced in earlier sources relating to the region.[8] The foundation legend of the Maula Ali ka Pahad near Hyderabad, is also related to a eunuch in the court of Ibrahim Qutub Shah, the fourth ruler of the Sultanate of Golconda.[9]

In the princely Hyderabad State, a law first enacted in 1919 required the compulsory registration of eunuchs and imposed restrictions on their behaviour.[10] This law functioned similarly to colonial systems such as the Criminal Tribes framework, creating a legacy of official surveillance and stigma for transgender people in the region.[11] The Telangana High Court finally struck down the surviving form of the 1919 law in 2023, holding that it violated constitutional rights and dignity.[12]

Recognition of relationships

Same-sex sexual activity has been legal in Telangana since 2018, following the Supreme Court ruling in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India.[13] However, same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in Telangana, as Indian law does not currently provide for civil unions or marriage rights for same-sex couples.[14]

In 2024, a habeas corpus petition involving a same-sex couple was filed before the Telangana High Court, in which a woman sought legal protection to live with her same-sex partner and argued for the right to choose her partner.[15] The court ruled in favour of them stating "liberty to go with the person of her choice and stay at the place of her choice".[16]

Despite the lack of legal recognition, private wedding ceremonies for same-sex couples have been held in Telangana. In 2021, Supriyo Chakraborty and Abhay Dang celebrated a wedding ceremony near Hyderabad, attended by family and friends and including cultural rituals such as vows, rings, mehendi, and sangeet.[17][18][19][20]

Discrimination protections

Telangana provides protections to LGBTQIA+ individuals primarily through national court rulings and state initiatives. The Supreme Court of India rulings in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) and National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (2014) ensure that LGBTQ persons are protected from discrimination in employment, housing, and access to services, which apply in Telangana.[21]

In July 2023, the Telangana High Court struck down the Telangana Eunuchs Act (1919) as unconstitutional in Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli v. State of Telangana, observing that it violated the rights to equality, dignity, and privacy of transgender persons. The court directed the state government to extend welfare schemes and reservations to transgender individuals.[22]

The Telangana Police have also initiated measures to protect LGBTQIA+ persons. The Pride Place Cell, under the Women Safety Wing, serves as a dedicated response mechanism for reporting harassment and violence against LGBTQIA+ individuals.[23] In 2025, Telangana Police partnered with the NGO Yugantar to expand support services, including legal aid, crisis intervention, mental health support, police training, and public awareness campaigns.[24]

The Telangana High Court has also directed authorities to accept recruitment applications from transgender persons, ensuring equal access to employment opportunities by including a “third-gender” option on official application portals.[25]

State welfare initiatives have further contributed to anti-discrimination efforts, such as providing housing support to transgender traffic assistants in Hyderabad under the Indiramma scheme, promoting socio-economic inclusion and protection against marginalization.[26]

Societal attitudes

Members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Hyderabad have reported that legal recognition of relationships could help address social stigma and challenges faced in daily life. Many same-sex couples and transgender individuals experience discrimination and lack of societal acceptance, and that formal recognition of their relationships would "unknot many problems" in their personal and family lives.[27]

Transgender individuals have increasingly engaged in civic participation, including registering as third-gender voters and advocating for visibility during elections. Activists have emphasized that this community must show its presence as a vote bank to improve social inclusion and reduce discrimination in Telangana.[28]

According to the Open for Business City Ratings 2025 report, Hyderabad — along with cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai — earned a “C” rating for LGBTQ+ inclusion, categorising it as partially open for business.[29]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Supreme Court decriminalises homosexuality". Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Supreme Court recognises third gender status". Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  3. ^ ""Violative of human rights": Telangana HC strikes down Eunuchs Act". Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Centre opposes same-sex marriage recognition". Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Same-sex couples cannot adopt under current laws". Retrieved 11 January 2026.
  6. ^ Janyala, Sreenivas (6 April 2024). "Explained: A brief history of India's transgender community". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  7. ^ Sitlhou, Makepeace (1 December 2016). "Jogappas, the Men Who Marry a Goddess to Become Women". The Wire. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Indian Antiquary Vol. 47 (extract): references to eunuch officers in Deccan sources". Indian Antiquary. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  9. ^ Safvi, Rana (31 March 2018). "The moon-faced lady's dargah". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  10. ^ Janyala, Sreenivas (11 July 2023). "'Unconstitutional', 'assault on dignity of trans people': Why the Telangana Eunuchs Act was struck down". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  11. ^ Datta, Sayantan (7 July 2023). "Telangana Eunuchs Act repealed, horizontal reservation is next step". The News Minute. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  12. ^ Janyala, Sreenivas (11 July 2023). "'Unconstitutional', 'assault on dignity of trans people': Why the Telangana Eunuchs Act was struck down". The Indian Express. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Supreme Court decriminalises gay sex, LGBTQ community hails historic verdict". The Hindu. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  14. ^ "SC delivers four verdicts in 'same-sex marriage' case – here's what it means". Telangana Today. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  15. ^ "Woman files Habeas Corpus for same sex partner in Telangana HC". Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  16. ^ "2 months after Telangana high court order, lesbian couple still wary of backlash". The Times of India. 22 December 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  17. ^ "Hyderabad gay couple get married in front of family and friends". NDTV. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  18. ^ "In Telangana, gay couple wed despite legal uncertainty". LiveMint. 4 December 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  19. ^ "In a first, gay couple says 'I Do' in Telangana". The Indian Express. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  20. ^ "Gay couple ties the knot in Hyderabad, say no permission needed for 'happiness'". Hindustan Times. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  21. ^ "Supreme Court decriminalises gay sex, LGBTQ community hails historic verdict". The Hindu. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  22. ^ "Telangana High Court strikes down 1919 Eunuchs Act, directs welfare for trans persons". The Indian Express. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  23. ^ "Pride Place: A Cell Dedicated to Transgender & LGBTQIA+ Persons Protection". Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  24. ^ "Telangana Police, Yugantar partner to strengthen support for LGBTQIA+". Deccan Chronicle. 25 January 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  25. ^ "No third gender option in police recruitment portal, Telangana HC orders". The Indian Express. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  26. ^ "Telangana to provide Indiramma housing to transgender traffic assistants in Hyderabad". The Hans India. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  27. ^ "Live, let love: How Hyderabad's LGBTQ community navigates relationships". Times of India. 15 November 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  28. ^ "Telangana polls: Transgender community comes out as a vote bank". The Indian Express. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  29. ^ "Indian cities show promise on LGBTQ+ inclusion despite national hurdles: City Ratings 2025". ThePrint. 24 April 2025. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
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