Ministerial panel to apprise cabinet of its view on HC order on gay sex

A ministerial panel set up to formulate government's response to the Delhi High Court ruling legalizing gay sex among consensual adults today decided to convey its view to the union cabinet which will take a final call on the matter.
    
The three-member panel of law minister M Veerappa Moily, home minister P Chidambaram and health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad met here this evening and "critically analysed" the pros and cons of the Delhi High Court judgement legalising gay sex.
    
"We have analysed the judgement with full objectivity-what the judgement had said and what it had not said. Section 377 was not sought to be abrogated. Section 377 remains. The only question is decriminalisation of private consensual sex between two adults," Moily told reporters.
    
He said the ministers were of the opinion that the matter would have to be presented before the union cabinet.
    
The Supreme Court, while hearing a PIL on the matter, had asked the government to present its stand on the issue and posted the matter for September 14.
    
"So, having analysed the judgement, we are placing it before the cabinet and will ask the cabinet to take a decision," Chidambaram said later.
    
He said the High Court judgement has laid down Section 377 in a manner that it is consistent with Article 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution.