CHRONOLOGY-HOMOSEXUALITY

Following is the chronology of events on the issue of section 377 of the IPC on which the Supreme Court today reserved its verdict:The first petition to do away with the penal provision which criminalises consensual sexual relations between two consenting adults of same sex was filed in the Delhi High Court in 2001 and since then a concerted effort has been made in this regard.* 2001: Naz Foundation, an NGO fighting for gay rights, files PIL in Delhi High Court seeking legalisation of gay sex among consenting adults.* Sep 2004: HC dismisses the PIL; Gay right activists file review petition.* Nov 3: HC dismisses review petition.* Dec: Gay rights activists approach SC against HC order.* Apr 3, 2006: SC remands the case back to HC, directs it to reconsider the matter on merit.* Oct 4: HC allows senior BJP leader B P Singhal's plea, opposing decriminalising gay sex, to be impleaded in the case.* Sep 18, 2008: Centre seeks more time to take stand on the issue after contradictory stand between Home and Health ministries over decriminalisation of homosexuality. HC refuses the plea and final arguments in the case begin.* Sep 25: Gay rights' activists contend that the government cannot infringe upon their fundamental right to equality by decriminalising homosexual acts on the ground of morality.* Sep 26: HC pulls up Centre for speaking in two voices on homosexuality law in view of contradictory affidavits filed by Health and Home Ministries.* Sep 26: The Centre says gay sex is immoral and a reflection of a perverse mind and its decriminalisation would lead to moral degradation of society.* Oct 15: HC pulls up the Centre for relying on religious texts to justify ban on gay sex and asks it to come up with scientific reports to justify it.* Nov: Govt in its written submission before HC says judiciary should refrain from interfering in the issue as it is basically for Parliament to decide.* Nov 7, 2008: HC reserves verdict on pleas filed by gay rights activists seeking decriminalisation of homosexual acts.* Jul 2, 2009: HC allows plea of gay rights activists and legalises sexual activity among consenting adults of same sex.* Jul 9: Delhi astrologer challenges HC verdict in SC.Several other pleas challenging the judgment also filed.* Feb 15, 2012: SC begins final day-to-day hearing in the case.* Dec 11, 2013: SC sets aside 2009 Delhi HC order which had decriminalised gay sex.* Dec 20: Centre files review petition in SC seeking re-examination of its verdict.* Dec 24: Gay rights activists file review petition in SC seeking re-examination of its verdict.* Jan 28, 2014: SC refuses to review its verdict on criminalising gay sex, dismisses pleas of Centre, activists.* Apr 3: SC agrees to consider for an open court hearing on curative petitions filed by gay rights activists against its verdict criminalising homosexuality.* Feb 2, 2016: SC refers curative pleas on homosexuality to five-judge bench.* June 29, 2016: SC refers the plea of celebrities like dancer N S Johar, chef Ritu Dalmia and hotelier Aman Nath, for quashing of section 377 of the IPC, to a bench already seized of the matter.* Aug 24, 2017: SC declares right to privacy a fundamental right under the Constitution, also observes that "sexual orientation is an essential attribute of privacy".* Jan 8, 2018: SC agrees to reconsider its 2013 decision and refers to a larger bench the plea challenging 377 of the IPC. Later, 20 former and current students of the IITs join the fight against section 377 of IPC.* Jul 10: SC begins hearing on the fresh pleas.* Jul 17: SC reserves verdict on the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of section 377 of IPC.

CHRONOLOGY-HOMOSEXUALITY

More From This Section

Agencies must ensure fair probe as liberals fear backlash: Bombay HC

Zee Entertainment Q1 net rises 31% to Rs 325.88 cr

China's Didi teams with Booking.com for $500mn investment

Monsoon Session meet: AAP asks PM to address Delhi govt-LG power tussle issue

Explore News