Supreme Court defers hearing on decriminalisation of gay sex

April 19th, 2011 - 1:39 pm ICT by ANI  

New Delhi, Apr 19 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred its hearing on the issue of legalisation and decriminalising gay sex among consenting adults in private.

A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi adjourned the matter without specifying the date of the next hearing and said the same would be taken up after summer vacations. The apex court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by gay rights activists and also by political, social and religious organisations, who have opposed the Delhi High Court verdict decriminalising homosexual behaviour

At the last hearing on February 7, the bench had refused to implead the armed forces in the case on the contentious issue.

Several political, social and religious organisation have asked the Supreme Court to give the final verdict on the issue.

The High Court had on July 2, 2009 declared the penal provision (under Section 377 of Indian Penal Code) for gay sex among consenting adults in private as unconstitutional which was earlier a criminal offence punishable with up to life imprisonment.

The apex court had declined to stay the verdict and had said, “Any interim order against the High Court verdict, if necessary, will be considered only after hearing the parties concerned”. (ANI)

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