Verdict on Same-Sex Unions: Supreme Court Denies Marriage Equality to LGBTQIA+ Community

Verdict on Same-Sex Unions: On 17 October, the Apex court in the country issued its decision regarding the legal recognition of unions between individuals of the same sex. This verdict comes after a prolonged period of consideration, with the court having reserved its judgment on 11 May in response to multiple pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage. The bench of five judges overseeing the case included Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices SK Kaul, SR Bhat, Hima Kohli, and PS Narasimha. Throughout the hearings, the petitioners argued that in India, a society founded on the institution of marriage, LGBTQ couples should be afforded the same rights as heterosexual couples. This includes rights such as the designation of “spouse” in matters relating to finance and insurance, medical decision-making, inheritance and succession issues, and even in adoption and surrogacy cases.