Supreme Court To Give Verdict On Legal Recognition Of Same-Sex Marriages Today

The Supreme Court is set to deliver its judgment today (17 October) on petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriages. In May, a five-judge Constitution bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, reserved the verdict.

During the proceedings, Justice SR Bhat, part of the bench, highlighted the constitutional doctrine that they have adhered to, stating, "We cannot direct legislation, we cannot direct framing of a policy, we cannot enter the realm of policymaking."

The petitions argued that marriage entails various rights, privileges, and obligations protected by the law. The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) also supported the recognition of same-sex marriages, filing an intervention application to apprise the court of the impact on children.

However, the respondents, including the Central government, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), and the Jamiat-Ulama-i-Hind, a body of Islamic scholars, opposed the petitions, Indian Express reported.