New Delhi, 27/4: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre if it could find ways to give same-sex couples basic social benefits, like joint bank accounts or nominating a partner in insurance policies, even without legal recognition of their marital status.
The top court noted the Centre’s “powerful” contention that legal sanction for same-sex marriage is under Parliament’s domain, even as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Union government, contended if the plea for legal sanctity to such couples is accepted, someone may come to court against incest saying the state had no business to intervene if two adults decided to have a sexual relationship in prohibited degrees.
Hearing a batch of petitions by same-sex couples for marriage equality, a five-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud said that when the court says recognition, it need not be recognition as marriage, it may mean recognition which entitles the couple to certain benefits, and the association of two people need not be equated to marriage.
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