New Delhi: Pulling up the Centre for its
"casual" approach on important issue of decriminalisation of
homosexuality, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it needs to be
condemned.
After going through various affidavits of the government,
a bench of justices G S Singhvi and S J Mukhopadhyay said the
Centre has taken this case very casually.
"They have taken this case very casually. This practice
needs to be condemned and we are going to say it in our
judgment," the bench observed.
It further said it is a peculiar case in which the
government is taking a neutral stand before the apex court on
such an important issue after contesting the matter in the
high court.
"We don`t know in how many cases they have been neutral.
This is one of the peculiar cases where the Centre, which had
contested the matter in the high court, is taking a neutral
stand.
"The government comes with the stand that they are
neutral. Which one is to be accepted, the affidavits filed in
the high court or its stand of neutrality in the Supreme
Court," the bench observed.
The bench also expressed concern that during the last 60
years the Parliament has not considered amending Section 377
of the Indian Penal Code, despite recommendations for it by
the Law Commission.
"The highest legislature doesn`t have time to consider
these issues. How long will the people of this country wait
for the legislature to find time to consider these issues,"
the bench observed.
PTI
