Supreme Court issues notice to center to reply on gay sex verdict by July 20

New Delhi, July 9 (ANI): A two judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice K. G. Balkrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam today issued notice to the Union Government, to explain its stand on a petition challenging the Delhi High Court's ruling to legalize gay sex among consenting adults.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by astrologer Suresh Kumar Kaushal against the Delhi High Court's verdict.

Posting the next hearing to July 20, the bench said they would hear the opinions of all the parties concerned before giving any interim order in this matter.

Notices were also issued to NAZ Foundation, and other respondents who were parties before the Delhi High Court.

Now, the ball is in government's court as it has to make its stand clear on the matter before the apex court when it take up the matter for hearing on July 20.

Except the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), no political party has made its stand clear on the Delhi High Court's ruling to quash Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

When the counsel appearing for Kaushal drag the attention of the bench about seven cases of gay marriages reported after Delhi high court's verdict, the Bench made it clear that they have not changed the definition of marriage.

The Bench said the police had not been registering cases under Section 377 of IPC, and no body has been prosecuted. Thought the clause is in place since 1860 there have been a few cases under the penal provision except those of paedophile cases, the Judges said.

In the petition Kaushal said, homosexual behavior is against the Indian societal norms, if such abnormality is permitted, it will lead society towards a wrong path. (ANI)