India top court fails to legalise same-sex marriage

India top court fails to legalise same-sex marriage

India’s Supreme Court has failed to legalise same-sex marriage, saying it does not have the power to do so.

The court instead accepted the government’s offer to set up a panel to consider granting social and legal rights and benefits to same-sex couples.

The court had heard 21 petitions in April and May from same-sex couples and activists who said that not being able to marry makes them “second-class citizens”.

The ruling will dash the hopes of India’s LGBTQ+ population, believed to number in the tens of millions.

The government and religious leaders had strongly opposed same-sex unions, saying they were against Indian culture.