Menaka Guruswamy on track to become India’s first LGBTQ+ MP
Guruswamy confirmed her nomination in a public statement, saying she was "deeply honoured" by the selection
By Callum Wells
Senior Supreme Court advocate Menaka Guruswamy is set to become India’s first LGBTQ+ member of parliament after being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India’s parliament.
The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) announced Guruswamy as one of its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for 16 March 2026. The party also nominated minister Babul Supriyo, former West Bengal Director General of Police Rajeev Kumar and actor Koel Mallick.
Rajya Sabha members are elected indirectly by state legislators. With the TMC holding a strong majority in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, the party is expected to secure multiple seats, making Guruswamy’s election likely if voting follows party strength.
If elected, Guruswamy would become the first openly LGBTQ+ person to serve as a member of parliament in India.
Who is Menaka Guruswamy?
Guruswamy is a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India and is widely known for her role in the constitutional challenge to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that consensual same-sex relations between adults could no longer be criminalised, a decision that decriminalised homosexuality in India.
Born in Hyderabad in 1974, Guruswamy studied law at the National Law School of India University before completing further studies at the University of Oxford and Harvard Law School. She has worked on constitutional and human rights cases and has also taught at several international law schools.
Guruswamy confirmed her nomination in a public statement, saying she was “deeply honoured”
The TMC described its Rajya Sabha candidate list as comprising professionals from a variety of fields, including law, public administration and the arts.
Guruswamy confirmed her nomination in a public statement, saying she was “deeply honoured” by the selection and intended to continue advancing constitutional values including equality and non-discrimination.
The Rajya Sabha elections will fill several seats across Indian states, with successful candidates expected to assume office in April 2026.
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