Same-sex marriage: Will India become 2nd Asian nation to recognise it
Live MintLGBTQ rights in India have expanded in recent years and, if the current case in Supreme Court goes in favour of the petitioners then the country will become only the second Asian jurisdiction after Taiwan to recognise same-sex unions. Last year, the Supreme Court offered a hint at how the case might go, expanding the definition of a family to include same-sex couples and ruling that such partnerships are entitled to social welfare benefits. Meanwhile, Centre, in its affidavit, has opposed the plea seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage, saying that living together as partners by same-sex individuals, which is decriminalised now, is not comparable with the Indian family unit and they are clearly distinct classes which cannot be treated identically. The Centre has filed the affidavit countering the demand made by various petitioners seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage.