Don’t decriminalise gay sex: Home ministry
February 23rd, 2012 - 3:45 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Feb 23 (IANS) The union home ministry told the Supreme Court Thursday that it was not in favour of decriminalising gay sex. It said Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code should remain on the statute to check cases of child sex abuse and other “unnatural offences”.
Reiterating the stand it had taken before the Delhi High Court, which has struck down Section 377, the home ministry said that homosexuality was immoral and was causing the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country.
As Additional Solicitor General P.P. Malhotra sought to link homosexuality with the spread of HIV/AIDS, an apex court bench headed by Justice G.S. Singhvi that is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the high court verdict, asked: “What is the statistical data supporting such a nexus?”
The court observed that even according to the home ministry, only eight percent of those inflicted with HIV/AIDS could be attributed to the homosexual category.
Malhotra, however, maintained that homosexuals formed a high-risk category for contracting HIV/AIDS.
- Government's flip-flop on gay sex ban (Roundup) - Feb 23, 2012
- Activists slam government's stand on gay sex - Feb 23, 2012
- Apex court rebuffs government for flip-flop on homosexuality - Feb 28, 2012
- Apex court raps government for flip-flop on homosexuality (Lead) - Feb 28, 2012
- Government disowns remarks on gays - Mar 21, 2012
- Criminal acts in privacy not immune, court told - Feb 22, 2012
- Government disowns remarks on gays (Lead) - Mar 21, 2012
- Supreme Court to hear pleas against gay sex in April (Lead) - Feb 07, 2011
- 'India has four lakh men who have sex with men' (Lead) - Mar 13, 2012
- Apex court reserves verdict on anti-gay sex petitions (Lead) - Mar 27, 2012
- Verdict decriminalising gay sex welcome: AIDS control body - Jul 02, 2009
- Under fire for MSM comment, Azad clarifies stand (Second Lead) - Jul 05, 2011
- Gay community, celebs, UNAIDS slam Azad's MSM remark (Lead) - Jul 05, 2011
- Scope of penal provision on gay sex wide: SC - Feb 16, 2012
- Decriminalise homosexuality says Delhi High Court - Jul 02, 2009
Tags: apex, apex court, child sex abuse, contracting hiv, court bench, court verdict, delhi high court, gay sex, high risk, hiv aids, homosexuals, indian penal code, malhotra, nexus, petitions, risk category, section 377, solicitor general, statistical data, union home ministry