An Indian court has ruled for the first time that consensual gay sex is not a crime, signalling an historic breakthrough for the country’s largely closet homosexual community, as well as anti-HIV/Aids campaigners.
Under a British colonial law, introduced by Lord Macaulay in 1860, homosexual intercourse is ranked alongside paedophilia and bestiality as “sex against nature” and punishable by up to ten years in prison.
India is one of the few democracies in the world to still have such a law.
But the Delhi High Court ruled today that applying the law - known as Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code - to consenting adults violated the Constitution and international human rights conventions.
“Consensual sex amongst adults is legal which includes even gay sex and sex among the same sexes,” a two-judge bench said after considering a petition against the law for more than eight years.
The ruling is non-binding outside Delhi, and can be appealed at the Supreme Court, but is being hailed nonetheless as a landmark in an increasingly vocal campaign to have Section 377 repealed.
I came across this video
just a few days ago, and
had to share it with
you! I won't say
anything about why it's
so very special - just
please watch it all the
way through, and
experience sheer JOY!
http://www.care2.com/news
/member/798419203/11...
Hi, all,Came across this
news item a few moments
ago, and it shocked
me: Humans will
need 2 planets' worth
of resources in order to
support our current
levels of consumption, by
the year 2050. For
many of us, this is
within our own lif...
A beautiful song,
composed for Mercy.
We will never forget
her.The Rainbow
Bridge(click to
listen)You wonder why or
howSome people grow so
meanThey hurt defenceless
soulsTheir hearts are
cold, oh Mercy You
were young and sweetA
tender gentl...
I am sure everyone
already knows that our
health care reform bill
has passed through its
first critical stage in
Congress! Now the work
for each of us begins,
getting the Senate off
their butts, and from
dragging their feet, so
they can get "their ve...
TAKE ACTION: Stop
Credit Card Companies
from Unfairly Raising
Rates!
Greetings
In May, the president
signed sweeping new
legislation to protect
consumers from abusive
cr...
TAKE ACTION: Stop
Credit Card Companies
from Unfairly Raising
Rates!
Greetings
In May, the president
signed sweeping new
legislation to protect
consumers from abus...
We Are No Lab Rat : Say
No to GM Food - Naresh
Kadyan
Consumers Reject GM Food,
Demand Nestlé
India Go GM Free -
Sukanya Kadyan
Consumers Reject GM Food,
Demand Nestlé
India Go GM Free -
Sukanya Kadyan
We Are No Lab Rat ...
OPEN LETTER FOR PRIME
MINISTER OF INDIA -
Naresh Kadyan
Petition link :-Protect
Govardhan hill of lord
Krishna in Brijdham
Cows on Govardhan Hill
Govinda Kunda
Gangama
Tongue of Govardhan
Message: Sammie needs you today by Its Meow or Nev A.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— Sammie was born feral and
we've done a lot to make
sure she's adoptable. She
is still very shy but
very gentle, like her
mama, Kira. Because she
has spent most of her
young life running away
from people, her first
instinct is to hide from
you, but onc... more
Message: Kira needs you by Its Meow or Nev A.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— Kira is a sweet, loving,
and communicative kitty.
She is a Calico, and
appears to have been
abandoned since she's
very trusting now of
people and not at all
skiddish like she used to
be. She's always purring,
always down for a
petting. She's box
train... more
Message: ChipIn Page 4 My Sister Shannon's Leukemia Expenses by Rebecca E.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— Please contribute if you
can. I am also looking
for a bed for her, she is
sleeping on the floor
right now and she only
lives on ssi so she can
not afford a bed. I wish
I could help her but I
have no income and I have
lupus and 3 special needs
children... more
Message: daily Bible verse by Ingrid F.
(0 comments
|
discussions
)
— Therefore we do not lose
heart. Though outwardly
we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being
renewed day by day. For
our light and momentary
troubles are achieving
for us an eternal glory
that far outweighs them
all. So we fix our eyes
not on what ... more