Supreme Court set to announce the verdict on same-sex marriage today
New Delhi, October 17: The eagerly anticipated verdict on the legal status of same-sex marriage will be delivered by the Supreme Court today.
According to the causelist available on the apex court's website, the judgment will be pronounced by a Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud. In May of this year, this Constitution Bench, which also includes Justices SK Kaul, SR Bhat, Hima Kohli, and PS Narasimha, reserved its judgment following a comprehensive examination of arguments from both sides.
During the proceedings, the Center presented its perspective to the Supreme Court, cautioning against the idea of seeking a declaration that falls somewhere between marriage and the current legal status, stating that it might not be the most appropriate course of action.
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Furthermore, the Union government has consented to establish a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary. The committee's purpose is to explore administrative measures that could be taken to address certain concerns related to providing fundamental social benefits to same-sex couples.
The Supreme Court had previously urged the Central government to devise a mechanism through which same-sex couples could enjoy basic social benefits, such as joint bank accounts and the ability to nominate a partner in insurance policies, even if their marital status lacks legal recognition.
While Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Assam's governments have expressed opposition to granting legal sanction to same-sex marriages, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Sikkim have stressed the necessity of a comprehensive and intense debate on the matter and have requested more time to formulate their responses.
- With inputs from agencies
