Section 377 refers to Unnatural Offences and says whoever voluntarily has
carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animals,
shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may
extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to pay a fine.
This section 377 of IPC introduced in 1861 during the British rule of India.
Against the order of native is illegal previous to that there was no law
governing sexual intercourse in India. This section 377 of IPC makes criminals
out of homosexuals section 377 is not merely a law about ANAL SEX alone, but it
applies to homosexuality in general. The lacks of consent based distribution in
the offence has made homosexual sex synonymous to rape and equated homosexuality
with sexual perversity section 377 is the biggest affront to the dignity and
humanity of substantial minority of Indian Citizens.
On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the application of
section 377 to consensual homosexual sex between adults was unconstitutional or
decriminalized, irrational, indefensible, and manifestly arbitrary ,but there
is an exception though the supreme court has rightfully protected animals under
against attempts by humans who have intercourse with them, that still remain
under the preview of crime.
The decriminalized of sodomy contribute directly to
restoring the dignity of homosexuals and allow the LGBTQ [especially gay] moment
to emerge from the shadows.
India joined 125 nations where homosexuality is legal as supreme decriminalized
gay sex.
The supreme court decriminalized consensual intercourse between persons of the
same sex and read down section 377 of IPC. Thus providing a huge boost to the
LGBTQ community Of India.
Navtej Singh Johar v/s Union of India
However, 72 countries and territories world wide still continue to
criminalized same sex relationship
Situations of Section 377 In Different Countries:
- Death penalty - Iran, Saudi Arab, Golf countries.
- Imprisonment - Pakistan.
- Decriminalize - India , Russia , China.
- Allow to Marriage - USA , Canada , Australia , Brazil
Indian Equal Rights Activities Have Undertaken A Long And Arduous To
Decriminalize Same Sex Relationships
They had tasted their 1st victory when Delhi high court in July 2009
decriminalized homosexuality among consenting adults. However in December 2012
the supreme court, questioning the high court order , held that the order was
legally unsustainable.
In 2015, the Lok Sabha voted against the introduction of private member’s bill
to decriminalized homosexuality. Proposed by congress MP Shashi Tharoor,
indicating that the BJP led NDA GOVT. was not in a hurry to legal life
homosexuality. Soon after a group of well known LGBT rights activities.
NS Johar. Journalist Sunil MEHRA , chef Ritu Dalsnia, Hotelier Aman Nath and
business executive Ayush Kapoor the supreme court which agreed to reconsider the
issue.
The petition claimed their rights to sexuality. Sexual
autonomy choice of sexual partner, life, privacy, dignity and equality along
with the other fundamental rights guaranteed under the parts of Indian
constitution are violated by section 377 of IPC.
What The Judge Said? Navtej Singh Johar v/s Union Of India
Writing for himself and justice of Khan Willkar, the Chief justice has raised
the individual’s identity to the pedestal of divinity sans identity the name is
only a denotative term the sustenance of identity is a filament of life.
The destruction of individual identity would tantamount to the
crushing of dignity, which encapsulated privacy, choice freedom of speech and
other expressions. Attitudes and mentalities have to change to accept distinct
identities of individuals who must be respected for who they are and not
compelled to become who they are not.
{note: the sexual orientation of each individual in the society must be
protected on even platform for the right to privacy and the protection of sexual
orientation lies it the core of fundamental rights guaranteed by article 14, 15,
and 21 of the constitution.
Judgments:
The court found that the criminalization of sexual acts between the constituting
adults violated the rights to equality guaranteed by the constitution of India.
While reading judgments chief justice pronounced that court found that “
criminalizing carnal intercourse “ to be irrational, arbitrary, and manifestly
unconstitutional.
The court ruled that LGBT is in India are entitled to all
constitutional rights including liberties protected by the constitution of
India.
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