India’s Supreme Court ends ban on gay sex

India ’ s Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a colonial – era ban on gay sex at the centre of years of legal battles .“ The law had become a weapon for harassment for the LGBT community , ” Chief Justice Dipak Misra said as he announced the landmark verdict .
Section 377 of the Indian penal code , enacted by British rulers in 1861 , banned “ carnal intercourse against the order of nature” .

Activists had been fighting the ban since the 1990 s , suffering several court reverses before Thursday ’ s verdict which sparked celebrations among lesbian, gay , bi – sexual and transgender groups across the vast South Asian nation .

Members of the LGBT community hugged each other and cried as news of the verdict spread .

“ I am speechless ! It ’ s taken a long time to come but finally I can say I am free and I have equal rights as others , ” said Rama Vij , a college student who wore a rainbow scarf .

Gay sex has long been taboo in conservative India — particularly in rural areas where homophobia is widespread .

The Delhi High Court decriminalised gay sex in 2009 , but the Supreme Court reinstated legal sanctions in 2014 after a successful appeal by religious groups .

According to official data, 2 , 187 cases under Section 377 were registered in 2016 under the category of “ unnatural offences” .

Seven people were convicted and 16 acquitted .

( AFP )

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