India, Nov. 2 -- A petition filed by the Women's Declaration International's India chapter in the Supreme Court has invited censure from feminist organisations and caused consternation within sections of the transgender community for its central prayers, which include seeking the nullification of the legal right to self-identify gender granted by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and Others v Union of India judgement of the Supreme Court, and a directive that all benefits, protections and entitlements available specifically to women are denied to transgender persons, irrespective of their self identification and/or medical intervention.

"The petitioner seeks a reading down of NALSA with regard to a constitutional right to leg...