New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to review its order restoring a colonial era ban on gay sex, a verdict that was criticized not just in India but also across the world. Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal said “the archaic law should be changed, millions of people are affected and these people should not be exposed to 377.
The December ruling was met with dismay by gay rights activists who criticized the government for leaving such an important issue in the hands of the courts rather than address it through legislation.
The government then petitioned the court to reverse the ban, in an unusually bold move by the ruling Congress ahead of a major election in largely conservative India.
The Congress does not have the numbers to push for a law in Parliament, with the main opposition BJP ruling out its support to what it calls an “unnatural act.” An ordinance, or executive order, has been discussed as an option, but it needs to be endorsed in Parliament within six months.
Bureau Report
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