The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights has approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Delhi High Court's verdict decriminalising homosexuality, on the ground that it would adversely affect children's rights.The commission, in its petition, contended that gay sex would have an adverse impact on the psychological, physical and mental development of children.The petition is likely to be taken up on September 14 when the apex court would hear similar petitions.
Apprehending misuse of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code against homosexuals in the future, Law Minister Veerappa Moily has said the law should not become an instrument of exploitation by authorities.
The seventh round of talks between protesting unions and three central ministers ended inconclusively on Monday as the farmer leaders insisted on the repeal of the three contentious farm laws right from the beginning, even as the government listed various benefits from the Acts.
To minise wasteful administrative costs, number of enterprises in strategic sectors will ordinarily be only one to four; others will be privatised/merged/brought under holding companies, she said.
"Yoga is about acceptance and coming to terms with who you really are, your purest core," says yoga teacher Deepika Mehta. "It helps you shed the layers imposed by society. And in my experience, yoga has helped a lot of people come to terms with their sexual orientation, rather than live in denial."
The vote swept aside the opposition of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Hindu Council in United Kingdom on Friday welcomed the Delhi High Court's historic judgment, which decriminalised consensual homosexual relations, and said Hinduism does not condemn gay people. "The British Hindu homosexual community will welcome the news that their brethren in India are now able to enjoy the same freedom as they do here," said Anil Bhanot, general secretary of Hindu Council UK.
Following is the chronology of the eight-year-long legal proceedings, which ended on Thursday with the Delhi High Court legalising gay sex among consenting adults.
India along with China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE voted against equal rights for gay staffers in UN
Shying away from taking any stand on gay sex, the government on Thursday virtually left it for the Supreme Court to decide on the 'correctness' of the Delhi High Court order decriminalising homosexuality.The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, considered the report of the three-member Group of Ministers formed on the issue and decided that Attorney General G Vahanvati will 'assist' the Supreme Court on it.
The Centre has postponed taking a decision on the suggestion made by a three-member ministerial group regarding the Delhi high court judgment to decriminalise gay sex.
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday denounced Delhi high court's ruling decriminalising gay sex and felt the Centre should appeal against the judgement in the Supreme Court.
Home Minister P Chidambaram along with his cabinet colleagues Law Minister Veerappa Moily and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad held a meeting on Friday to analyse the Delhi High Court's judgement decriminalising same gender sex.
Rediff.com gives you a lowdown on the controversial section:
Sources said much has been done to ease the tax burden of the middle classes in the last five years, and that such a measure affects only a limited segment of people when the focus should be to put money in rural areas. Archis Mohan reports.
The court rejected the petition as it found no merit in it.
In a landmark judgment, after months of deliberations, the Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalised homosexuality. A five-judge Constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud, Rohinton Fali Nariman, A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra in its verdict said, "Criminalising gay sex is irrational and indefensible." Following this historic judgment, reactions poured in on Twitter, celebrating the verdict. Here are some of them.
'It would have been much more appropriate if a law such as this, which all of the civilised world has given up, was struck down through democratic politics rather than five individuals sitting in judgement,' says Aakar Patel.
Farmer leader Joginder Singh Ugrahan said told reporters after the meeting that the unions urged the government to repeal the three laws, but the Centre was unwilling to do so. "We decided to meet again on January 19 at 12 pm," he said.
The court's observation came while hearing a plea filed by gay activists seeking to decriminalise gay sex among consenting adults.
Faced with stiff resistance from the Union Home Ministry for his efforts to do away with Section 377 of IPC which penalises gay sex, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss today said he and other "like-minded" colleagues planned to meet PM Manmohan Singh and seek a solution.
"Such marches are held all over the world. Recently in London more that five lakh people were on the streets for the cause. There is nothing unusual in holding such rallies," Justice A K Sikri said, dismissing objections raised by anti-gay rights activists, including RSS idealogue B P Singhal, over the June 29 rally.
The bench also said it would examine the Fundamental Right to life and sexual freedom.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi's decision to go the whole-hog against the Supreme Court's verdict -- which recently upheld the constitutionality of Section 377 criminalising homosexuality -- is not very typical of how the grand old party handles such issues.
'The first year of the Modi government's second term has laid the roadmap for the future and we will embark on it with gusto,' promises Gopal Krishna Agrawal, the BJP's national spokesperson on economic affairs.
A curative petition is the last judicial resort available for redressal of grievances in court which is normally decided by judges in-chamber. In rare cases, such petitions are given an open court hearing.
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is not so much a homosexual romance as it is an exuberant appeal imploring conservative Indian parents to accept and respect their children's choices, gay or straight, notes Sukanya Verma.
'It is inconceivable that there are no gays working in Indian corporations but obviously, the subject remains taboo enough in the workplace for those of alternate sexual orientation to feel safer remaining in the closet,' notes Kanika Datta.
The SC directed the centre to place before it details regarding 1,581 cases involving MPs and MLAs, as declared by politicians at the time of filing their nominations during the 2014 general elections.
The bill seeks to ensure health-care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons with mental illness "in a manner that does not intrude on their rights and dignity."
"What is the sanctity of marriage?"
In an apparent U-turn, a top Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh functionary on Friday said homosexuality is a "socially immoral act", which needs to be treated as a psychological case and demanded a ban on gay marriages.
Sticking to their key demand of the repeal of three farm laws to end their protest, farmer leaders on Friday told the government their 'ghar wapsi' can happen only after 'law wapsi' but the Centre insisted talks must be limited to contentious clauses and ruled out a complete withdrawal of Acts.
When the highest court gave a decision on the Navtej Singh Johar case, it held that LGBT citizens have a right to not be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation. It was keeping this in mind that this same sex couple approached the Delhi high court.
'What stood out at these meetings between industry representatives and government leaders was how the equation between the ministers and industry had undergone a subtle and qualitative change,' points out A K Bhattacharya.
Tech Mahindra said the company believes in diversity and inclusion, and condemns "discrimination of any kind in the workplace".
The apex court said political parties will also have to upload reasons for selecting candidates with pending criminal cases on their website.
The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to consider the plea for an open court hearing on curative petitions filed by gay rights activists against its verdict criminalising homosexuality.
Delivering a landmark judgment decriminalising gay consensual sex, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said: "I am what I am. So take me as I am." Homosexuality is no longer a crime in India, five Supreme Court judges on Thursday ruled in a consensus judgment.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances