SC issues notice to Centre on plea against criminalisation of homosexuality

The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked the Centre to file the response within a week on the plea.

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre on a plea filed by hotelier Kesav Suri challenging the criminalisation of gay sex between two consenting adults.

File photo of members and supporters of the LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender) community during Delhi’s 10th queer pride march in New Delhi on November 12, 2017. (HT file photo)

The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra asked the Centre to file the response within a week on the plea.

The bench, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, said the petition will be heard along with other pleas on the same matter which is being heard by the Constitution bench.

“Owing to Section 377 of the IPC continuing on the statute book, various adult and consenting members of the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and Queer) community continue to face the threat of a false prosecution and some are actually facing it,” Suri’s plea said.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)