Govt still cautious on same sex issue

The Government still appeared to be cautious in its approach on what to do with the controversial law relating to same gender sex with a meeting of three senior ministers deciding to take an in-depth view on the issue

The Government still appeared to be cautious in its approach on what to do with the controversial law relating to same gender sex with a meeting of three senior ministers deciding to take an in-depth view on the issue, notwithstanding Delhi High Court order decriminalising the provision.

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Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday held a meeting with Law Minister M Veerappa Moily and Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, all of whom were mandated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to decide the Government's stand on the issue at a time when the High Court judgement had not come.

Chidambaram told reporters after the 45-minute meeting that the judgement was discussed and it was decided that the Law Ministry would prepare a note on it after which they will look into it.

"We were asked to meet and take a view on the matter which was pending the High Court. However, when we fixed the date for today's meeting, we did not know that the judgement will be delivered... "...so we have taken note of the judgement...the judgement deals with only one aspect of section 377. Section 377 is left intact except one aspect. So we have asked department of Law to prepare a note based on the judgement and we will look at it and then we will decide what needs to be done," he said.

Chidambaram parried questions whether the government would move the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order.