One of the five petitioners to is Keshav Suri, who filed a writ petition against section 377, is the executive director of the The Lalit Hotel group.
In a historic judgment, the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that homosexuality is not a crime. After the landmark verdict that decriminalised part of the 158-year-old British era law under section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which criminalises consensual unnatural sex, celebrations were marked across the country.
One of the five petitioners to is Keshav Suri, who filed a writ petition against section 377, is the executive director of the The Lalit Hotel group. So after the milestone judgment was announcement, the staff of the Lalit Hotel in Delhi broke down into a victory dance.
Dressed in rainbow coloured scarves and formals, the staff danced their hearts out to Will.i.am's 'Scream and Shout' track and Lady Gaga's track 'Born this way'.
See for yourself over here:
A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously decriminalised part of the 158-year-old colonial law under Section 377 of the IPC which criminalises consensual unnatural sex, saying it violated the rights to equality.
The 493-page judgement was written by four judges headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra. While CJI's verdict was 166 pages, Justice Nariman filed a 96-page judgment, Justice DY Chandrachud filed a 181-page judgement, and Justice Indu Malhotra's judgement was 50 pages.
"Sexual orientation is one of many biological phenomena. It is natural and no discrimination can exist. Any violation is against freedom of speech and expression," Chief Justice Mishra said.
Gays, Lesbians, Bi-sexual and Transgenders have equal rights as other citizens
While Chief Justice Chandrachud said, "Gays, Lesbians, Bi-sexual and Transgenders have equal rights as other citizens. This case is much more than just decriminalising a provision. It is about an aspiration to realise Constitutional rights and equal existence of LGBT community as other citizens."
Calling the change "historic", Ankit Gupta, an LGBT activist with the Humsafar Trust said the fight for equality continues and there is still a long way to go for it Another activist with the Humsafar Trust said the change has come after 18 years of suffering and what the community has gone through in these 18 years could not be expressed in words.
"Tomorrow when we wake up we would be able to look in the mirror and not see ourselves as a second class citizen or a criminal," he said.
"This is an opportunity to fight further for equality," he added.
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 "Watch: After 377 verdict, Delhi hotel staff dances to Lady GaGa number")
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