Senior Supreme Court advocate Menaka Guruswamy has emerged as one of the most high-profiles names among the Trinamool Congress (TMC) nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. If she gets elected, she would become India’s first openly queer Member of Parliament.
The TMC announced Guruswamy’s candidature along with minister Babul Supriyo, former West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar and actor Koel Mallick for the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for March 16, with voting due for 37 seats across states. In its post on X, the party stated, “We are pleased to announce the candidature of Babul Supriyo, Rajeev Kumar (Former DGP, West Bengal, Menaka Guruswamy and Koel Mallick for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.” It further added, ‘May they continue to uphold Trinammol’s enduring legacy of resilience and its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of every Indian.”
From West Bengal, five seats are falling vacant in 2026 and with the ruling party’s numbers in the 294-member Assembly, the TMC is expected to secure four seats whereas the BJP is likely to win one, as reported by PTI.
Guruswamy is best known for representing petitioners in the constitutional challenge that led to decriminalisation of homosexuality by reading down Section 377 of the IPC in 2018, a landmark ruling that reshaped LGBTQ rights in India.
Why TMC chose Guruswamy?
TMC leaders told The Indian Express that the party wanted Guruswamy in the Upper House as it sought a strong voice in the Rajya Sabha to counter the BJP, pointing to her public profile and her role in major court battles.
Who is Menaka Guruswamy?
Menaka Guruswamy is a Senior Advocate at the Supreme Court of India and has been practising since 1997, according to her LinkedIn profile. She became a designated senior advocate in 2019
She studied at the National Law School of India University (BA LLB Hons.), pursued postgraduate legal studies at the University of Oxford (BCL) and Harvard Law School (LLM), and later completed a D.Phil (Doctorate in law) at Oxford. In 2019, she and fellow lawyer Arundhati Katju were named among TIME’s 100 most influential people, following the Section 377 judgment.
Beyond Section 377: Other crucial cases
Guruswamy has been involved in several other high-profile matters over the years, including cases linked to bureaucratic reforms, AgustaWestland, Salwa Judum and Right to Education, as reported by The Indian Express.. It also noted that she has represented the West Bengal government and the TMC in politically sensitive matters, including cases connected to central-agency actions.