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.
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.
The apex court said political parties will also have to upload reasons for selecting candidates with pending criminal cases on their website.
The government on Monday said it did not plan to issue an ordinance on gay rights issue "now" to negate the Supreme Court judgement on homosexuality that has sparked an uproar.
At his farewell function, CJI Dipak Misra said that tears of a poor man is equal to tears of a rich man.
The controversial issue of marital rape was again raked up on Monday before the Delhi HC.
Tehseen Poonawalla, a gay rights and social activist, besides being a supporter of the Congress party, on Tuesday said that irrespective of the Supreme Court's ruling on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises sexual activities "against the order of nature", arguably including homosexual acts, he would plead with the Apex court to legalise gay marriage.
Observing that an environment has been created in the Indian society over the years that has led to deep-rooted discrimination against the community, a five-judge constitution bench, hearing petitions seeking decriminalisation of 158-year-old colonial law under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, said discrimination against such people has also adversely impacted their mental health.
'The reality is that 377 compromises the freedom and affects many of us adversely,' Navtej Singh Johar tells Manavi Kapur.
'It is time to stand up for our sisters and brothers and friends and their families.' 'It is time to share the burden and remind them, like the highest court in the land just did, that they are not alone and that you wouldn't stand for their persecution,' says Ankit Deshpande.
'When that happens, it will be a landmark day for all of us. That will mean something to us.'
A workshop on the LGBTQ+ community throws light on challenges they face. Meghna Chadha reports.
From climate change protests to democratic uprisings against biased and violent authorities, it is clear that 2019 was a pivotal year for citizens all over the world. Free-to-use mobile app Agora launched its first #Photojournalism photo competition to give photographers a way to shed light on specific issues. The competition gathered more than 12,321 submissions from amateur and professional photographers all over the world. 'Young guns,' a striking picture of a group of Filipino children playing with dumpsite toy guns collected the most votes in the app, awarding its author @renebernal with a $1,000 cash prize. Take a look at the winners' striking work.
The apex court, which was hearing a PIL seeking that convicted persons be restrained from forming and holding posts in political parties for the period they are disqualified under the election law, posted the matter to May 3 for final disposal.
Given the upsurge of emotions over the unfairness of Section 377, Mr Sinha has displayed insensitivity towards the LGBT community. For this, he deserves a Boo!
The Naz Foundation is trying to sensitise workplaces towards the LGBT community, reports Geetanjali Krishna.
'We have set out a timetable to reduce income tax rates for all incomes below Rs 50 lakh, and to progressively eliminate the surcharges on income above Rs 50 lakh, by 2024.' The Budget speech past CII president Naushad Forbes wants to hear.
The Labour MP from Leicester since 1987, who is a married father of two, paid for men to visit him one evening last month at a flat he owns in London, the 'Sunday Mirror' claimed.
Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, which was struck down by the Supreme Court, managed to be anti-women even while it appeared to be throwing a protective arm around them, says Shuma Raha.
'When Arnab Goswami announced on TV, it's over, it's done, dad patted me with love and said congrats.' 'I broke down' Nakshatra Bagwe, a 'proud gay' film-maker and activist from Mumbai, tells Rediff.com's Divya Nair.
While it is heartening to see companies chipping in with their messages of support, they are probably walking a tightrope here.
Human rights activists and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community have a reason to smile. Offering a sliver of hope, the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear in open court a curative plea against the order criminalising gay sex.
What's it like for two people of the same sex to be in love Mumbai? Anita Aikara/Rediff.com finds out.
Since Justice D Y Chandrachud is one of the youngest on the bench and is slated to become the Chief Justice of India on the seniority principle, his views have special significance for the future, says M J Antony.
'I had to submit my resignation from the BJP after just two weeks because they were very regressive.' 'There was no space for a free thinking individual.'
Justice Ranjan Gogoi, who will demit office as the Chief Justice of India in a week's time, has etched his name in the annals of history by giving finality to one of the most politically and religiously sensitive cases, the Ayodhya land dispute, which dates back to even before the Supreme Court came into existence in 1950.
"Let the matter be listed for the Chief Justice for appropriate orders," the bench said.
In the past decade-and-a-half, sections of urban India have become much more liberal about accepting gay men and women than our colonial-era laws might have suggested, says Rahul Jacob.
There will be no discrimination against gay people during the Winter Olympics in Sochi next month, a Russian lawmaker said on Monday.
Arnab Nandy's post about coming out of the closet and how his parents celebrated the Section 377 verdict has gone viral.
Apart from high-profile cases like the validity of Aadhaar Act in light of the right to privacy judgment and Ayodhya land dispute, the CJI is also heading various benches that are expected to decide cases related reservations to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in promotion in government jobs, the alleged dilution of Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code -- which stipulates punishment against harassment of women by husband and in-laws -- and framing of guidelines to check violence and vandalism by a protesting mob.
The gay rights activists had said thousands from the LGBT community became open about their sexual identity during the past four years after the Delhi high court decriminalised gay sex and they were now facing the threat of being prosecuted.
In his letter to the Chief Justice, the filmmaker urged the Supreme Court to consider the LGBT community while reviewing the earlier ruling.
The apex court said that there was a need for a law to prevent persons with serious criminal cases pending against them from entering the legislature and be a part of lawmaking.
'Why doesn't the prime minister wake up to these social issues?' 'This government is basically saying rape is all right.'
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked the prime minister not to make new promises to Bihar but "show moral courage" and ensure implementation of all the promises made till date.
Chitra Palekar explains how parents and teachers can help accept sexuality.
'What the Sabarimala majority verdict has done is to elevate the principle of equality over all others, including the right to worship, and declared that this will be the litmus test of all practices, and re-emphasise that practices that are ultra vires will be junked,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.
'I have changed and matured.' 'There is still a certain kind of detachment but I have far more appreciation and gratitude.'
In a landmark ruling, Australia's highest court on Thursday struck down the gay marriage law in the country's capital Canberra saying it could not operate concurrently with the federal Marriage Act.
