SC verdict on Section 377 to help make truly pluralistic society: Senior lawyer

The Supreme Court's judgement that decriminalised homosexuality would help in making a truly pluralistic society and in the long run promote equality, senior advocate Anand Grover said Friday.

The Supreme Court in its landmark judgement last week unanimously struck down part of the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that criminalised gay sex, saying it violated the constitutional right to equality and dignity.

In a discussion on the recent judgement, Grover said many people gave up fighting for their rights after gay sex was criminalised in 2013 but the recent judgement has empowered them again.

"The Supreme Court's judgement that decriminalised gay sex would help in bringing a truly pluralistic society and in long term it would help in bringing equality," he said.

Noor Enayet, an LGBT rights activist, said the judgement was a relief.

"Section 377 criminalised my existence and striking it empowered me, I am not a criminal anymore," she said.

"The 2013 judgement helped in bringing the discussion on gay sex to mainstream. People from all sections came out in support of it," she said.

In its 493-page judgement, the Supreme Court held that Section 377 was used as a weapon to harass members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community, resulting in discrimination.

The apex court legalised consensual gay sex, striking down a British era law that it said violates the right to equality and triggering celebrations among LGBTQ activists who welcomed it as a harbinger of a more inclusive India.