SC verdict must be respected by government: Sibal

It is the Supreme Court's prerogative to test the constitutionality of the law and their verdict on homosexuality as an offence must be respected by the government, Law Minister Kapil Sibal said Wednesday.

"It is the prerogative of the Supreme Court to judge the constitutionality and validity of the law. The opinion of the Supreme Court must be respected by the government. They have exercised their prerogative now, we shall exercise ours," Kapil Sibal told reporters outside parliament.

Supreme Court Wednesday held that consensual sex between adults of the same gender is an offence as it set aside the Delhi High Court verdict of 2009. The Delhi High Court had decriminalised sexual relationship between adults of the same gender under Section 377.