If people don’t want, you can’t impose it: Law minister on same-sex marriage

On the issue of same-sex marriages, Union Law Minister, Kiren Rijiju said that the courts are not the forums to decide on such issues.

The comments came in the wake of the Union Government telling the Supreme Court to leave the issue to the Parliament. "If five wise men decide something which is correct according to them, I cannot make any kind of adverse comments against them. But if people don't want it, you can't impose things on people," Rijiju said while speaking at the Republic Summit.

"And a sensitive and important matter like the institution of marriage has to be decided by the people of the country. Supreme Court, definitely, has the power to issue certain directions; under Section 142, they can make law also, and if there are some vacuums they can fill them but when it comes to a matter which affects every citizen of the country, then Supreme Court is not the forum," the law minister said.

He further added, " I don't want to make this government versus judiciary. This is not at all a matter between the court and the government. It is a matter which concerns every citizen of India. It is also a question of the peoples' will. The will of the people is represented in the Parliament and assemblies."

"Constitution does not provide judges to be elected, they don't sit in exams to be a judge. But we all are under the scrutiny of people's assessment. Even though there is no mechanism to change a judge, there is no system of accountability of the judges, I said that people are watching everyone in the age of social media," also said.

The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions that seeks to legalise same-sex marriages. It has been vehemently opposed by the Centre, which had told the court it would be best if the Parliament could decide on the matter.