Same-sex marriage judgment: LIVE UPDATES from Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of India is set to deliver its verdict on whether same-sex marriages should be legally recognized in India [Supriyo and anr v. Union of India].

A Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha had reserved the verdict on May 11 this year, after a ten-day hearing.

The Bench will today deliver the judgment today.

A batch of petitions before the top court has sought the recognition of same-sex marriages under law, arguing that the right to marry a person of one’s choice should extend to LGBTQIA+ citizens as well.

The Central government has opposed the petitions.

In an affidavit filed before the top court, the Central government said that living together as partners and same-sex relationships are not comparable to the Indian family unit concept which involves biological a man and a biological woman with children born out of such wedlock.

The Centre has also filed an application asking the Court to first decide on the maintainability of the petitions.

Similar views have been expressed by Islamic religious body Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind which has said that notions like same-sex marriage originate from Western culture that have radical, atheistic worldviews and that the same should not be imposed on India.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)  opposed the conferment of adoption rights on same-sex couples, relying on a study that said that such a child would get affected both socially and psychologically.

However, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has supported the case of the petitioners and said that adoption and succession rights must be conferred on same-sex couples.

The Bar Council of India (BCI) recently held a joint meeting with all the State Bar Councils in the country and passed a resolution requesting the Court to leave the same-sex marriage issue to the legislature to decide.

The BCI's statement was later condemned by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) stating that it is the duty of the apex court to hear the petition and decide whether it should be adjudicated by the Court or be left to the wisdom of the parliament.

Live updates from the judgment pronouncement hearing feature here.

Read more about Day 1 hearing here and here.

Read more about Day 2 hearing here and here.

Read more about Day 3 hearing here.

Read more about Day 4 hearing here.

Read more about Day 5 hearing here.

Read more about Day 6 hearing here and here.

Read more about Day 7 hearing here.

Read more about Day 8 hearing here.

Read more about Day 9 hearing here.

Read more about Day 10 hearing here.