Delhi HC to hear petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex couples
In the pleas, petitioners have also pointed out that denying the LGBT community the option to marry is discriminatory and creates them a second class of citizens
The Delhi high court is scheduled to hear a batch of petitions on Tuesday seeking legal recognition of same-sex couples. The matter was last heard in the court on May 24, when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought an adjournment due to the prevailing Covid-19 situation at that time.
A division Bench of Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw and Justice C Hari Shankar, who was hearing the case, adjourned the matter for July 6.
The petitioners say that the LGBT community members are forced to suppress their feelings of getting married to the person of their own choice. In the pleas, they have also pointed out that denying the LGBT community the option to marry is discriminatory and creates them a second class of citizens.
The Centre has been opposing the matter saying that petitions are unsustainable, untenable and misplaced, and sought their dismissal. The "marriage" is essentially a socially recognised union of two individuals which is governed either by uncodified personal laws or codified statutory laws, it has argued.
The acceptance of the institution of marriage between two individuals of the same gender is neither recognised nor accepted in any uncodified personal laws or any codified statutory laws, it told the Delhi high court earlier in response to the petitions.
The petitioners are seeking recognition under the Hindu Marriage Act, the Special Marriage Act and the Foreign Marriage Act.
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