(From Reuters)
The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will review a decision on whether to uphold a colonial-era law that criminalizes gay sex at a time when the nation is navigating a path between tradition and modernity.
The court asked a five-judge bench to examine whether the 1860 law, which imposes a 10-year sentence for gay sex, is constitutional, a lawyer for a gay rights group said.
“It is definitely a move forward,” lawyer Anand Grover said as activists gathered outside the court cheered.
This was the last legal avenue for campaigners seeking to use the courts to strike down the law. Otherwise, any future decisions to lift the ban will rest with the country’s socially conservative politicians who oppose any changes.
The Supreme Court made a surprise ruling in 2013 that reinstated a ban on gay sex. Read More