NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the transfer of all petitions regarding legal recognition for same-sex marriages pending before different high courts, to itself. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, while transferring the petitions, asked the government to file its response by February 15. It granted liberty to the petitioners to argue their case before it virtually.
On March 13, the court will begin hearing petitions seeking recognition of same-sex marriage under various Acts, including the Special Marriage Act, Foreign Marriage Act and Hindu Marriage Act.
The SC appointed nodal counsel on behalf of both sides to assist the court. The CJI suggested the Solicitor General and the petitioner counsel to discuss and identify the issues to be argued. He also said three-four lead counsel can be decided by the petitioners to avoid repetition.
Ahead of Friday’s hearing, an organisation called United Hindu Front protested against the SC for agreeing to consider pleas seeking the relief, adding homosexuality is against Indian culture.
The court had earlier issued notice on some of the pleas and sought the Centre’s response to two pleas filed by two gay couples, seeking solemnisation of same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954.