SC notice to Centre on legalising gay sex

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a notice to the Centre on a petition challenging the Delhi High Court judgment legalising gay sex.

The petition -- filed by astrologer Suresh Kumar Kaushal -- sought the quashing of the verdict of the high court legalising gay sex between consenting adults in private, which was earlier a criminal offence under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.

The bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said that any interim order against the high court verdict, if necessary, will be considered only after hearing the parties concerned.

Notices were also issued to Naz Foundation, the NGO and other respondents who were parties before the high court.

The high court's judgment would result in spread of HIV/AIDS; no one can imagine the consequences of the unnatural acts. Even animals don't indulge in such activities, Kaushal said in his petition. 

Kausahal said, homosexual behaviour is against the Indian societal norms. If such abnormality is permitted, it will lead the society towards a wrong path.

This is the second petition filed against the high court's verdict. On Wednesday, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev filed a special leave petition on the same issue.

In a landmark verdict on July 2, the Delhi high curt legalised the homosexual behaviour of consensual youths, which received a lot of opposition from the religious leaders