The Delhi High Court has asked the Indian government to provide research that proves penalizing men who have sex with men (MSM) lowers the rate of HIV infections, expressindia.com reports. The government is making the case that MSM spread diseases and that current laws against them should remain on the books.
“If your argument is correct, then the spread of HIV should have stopped in the country as the law has been there for many years,” the court said. “But it is not the case as many people are dying of the dreaded disease.”
Gay rights activists want to amend Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code under which homosexual sex can be punished with life imprisonment.
Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra argued with the Delhi High Court that the laws were necessary: “Right to health of few persons cannot supersede right to health of society. There has to be balance between them, and it is for this purpose that Section 377 is there.”
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Previous Comments:
comments 1 - 1 (of 1 total)
Adil, Chennai, 2008-10-16 01:04:45
Great news for all gay, which i belive abour 40% of society is. the court is doing apt. when science does'nt prove homosexualty a crime why does govt do...
its time for change
"I am psychologically suffering from body wasting, mainly hips, face, legs and arms. Does anyone know where I can order something (maybe underwear with foam) to fill the sunken hips, so that pants can start looking normal? I feel pathetic when I look at myself in the mirror in jeans—jeans used to fill up so nicely, now they just hang!"