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Centre discusses ruling on gay sex

Special Correspondent

We will submit our report to Prime Minister, says Moily

— Photo: A.M. Faruqui

Muslims hold a protest in Bhopal on Friday against the Delhi High Court judgment decriminalising homosexuality.

NEW DELHI: The Union government on Friday held a meeting to discuss and analyse the Delhi High Court judgment on decriminalising same gender sex.

The meeting was attended by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily and Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr. Moily said they would submit a report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“We met to analyse the judgment and will submit our report to the Prime Minister.” The Delhi High Court on Thursday legalised homosexual acts among consenting adults, holding that the 149-year-old law making it a criminal offence violated of fundamental rights.

The government had refused to react to the judgment. Mr. Moily had said the government would study the judgment before deciding on the future course of action.

The former Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, has welcomed the judgment and described it as a victory for individual rights.

“This will go a long way in fighting HIV/AIDS in India. It is time the government acted quickly and brought in legislation,” he told The Hindu.

Dr. Ramadoss had supported repealing of Section 377 of the IPC during his tenure though the Home Ministry had a different view on the matter.

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