Centre Opposes Same-Sex Marriage; Files Affidavit In SC

New Delhi: Central government filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court on Sunday opposing the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Centre told SC that same-sex relationships & heterosexual relationships are clearly distinct classes which cannot be treated identically.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages on Monday.

The apex court had, on January 6, clubbed and transferred to itself all such petitions pending before different high courts, including the Delhi High Court.

It had said the counsel appearing for the Centre and advocate Arundhati Katju, representing the petitioners, shall together prepare a common compilation of the written submissions, documents and precedents on which reliance would be placed during the course of the hearing.

Living together as partners and having sexual relationship by same sex individuals (which is decriminalised now) is not comparable with the Indian family unit concept, the Centre said, urging the court to reject challenges to the current legal framework lodged by LGBTQ+ couples.

It further argued that registration of marriage of same sex persons also results in violation of existing personal as well as codified law provisions such as ‘degrees of prohibited relationship’; ‘conditions of marriage’; ‘ceremonial and ritual requirements’ under personal laws governing the individuals.