The Indian government expressed its opposition to gay marriage in an affidavit before the Supreme Court on Sunday, at a time when the court is considering several petitions to recognize the legality of this type of union.
“Living together as a couple and having same-sex sexual relations is not comparable to the Indian family unit concept of a husband, wife and children,” the Ministry of Law and Justice said.
The court cannot be asked “to change the entire legislative policy of the country deeply rooted in religious and social norms,” he added.
In a historic verdict In 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalized homosexuality by remove a colonial-era ban on same-gender sex. This current case is being seen as further progress for the rights of the LGBTI community in the country.
In recent months, at least 15 pleas have been filed, some by gay couples, asking the court to recognize gay marriages, with the intention of setting the stage for a legal showdown with the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In Asia, Taiwan was the first to recognize such unions, while same-sex acts are illegal in some countries, such as Malaysia. Singapore ended a ban on gay sex last year, but took steps to ban same-sex marriages. Japan is the only G-7 country that does not legally recognize same-sex marriage.
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