A private member bill on the rights of transgenders united the Upper House of Parliament on Friday. This was the first time in 45 years that a private member bill was passed by the house.

'The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill 2014' introduced by DMK MP Tiruchi Siva was passed by the Rajya Sabha, sending a positive message to the transgender community.

Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party initially tried to stall the bill. Both social justice and empowerment minister Thawar Chand Gehlot and minister of state for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi failed to persuade Siva to withdraw the bill.

But both failed to budge an adamant Siva.

Siva insisted on putting the bill to vote. After an initial voice vote led to the deputy chairman believing the votes were against the bill, Shiva demanded that an electronic poll be held.

The BJP rushed to call leader of the house Arun Jaitley from the central hall to make Siva understand.

"I don't think the house should be divided on this issue.This is one segment of society we should all be concerned with," Jaitley said.

The finance minister said either Siva should have faith in the social justice and empowerment minister and withdraw the bill, or the house should unanimously support the private member's bill.

The bill was then put to vote and adopted unanimously through voice vote, with BJP benches refraining from saying either yes or no.

The bill has 58 clauses and it comprises measures to bring the transgender community into the mainstream. The bill demands reservation for the community in education, financial assistance and social inclusion.

Introduction of a private member's bill is a common practice. But such bills, soon after being introduced, are either withdrawn, left pending, or are taken up in the other house.

The last time the Lok Sabha passed a private member's bill was in 1970. In the Rajya Sabha a private member's bill was passed in 1969.

Sources also said that a legislation to this effect would require to be synergised with nine to twelve ministries including Human Resource Development, Women and Child Development and Social Justice and Empowerment.

Constitutional experts are of the view that the bill will now be moved to Lok Sabha. "If the government wants, it can bring out its own draft of the bill or can pass the private member bill in the present form," said constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap.