28 June,2009 01:02 PM IST | | MiD DAY Correspondent
The central government appears to be changing guard on Section 377 of the IPC that treats private consensual intercourse between same-sex adults as a crime.
According to officials in the home ministry, P Chidambaram has expressed an opinion that favours the repeal of Section 377. Former home minister Shivraj Patil had refused to make any amendments to the 150-year-old law.
The amendment to law has already received a positive response from the law ministry where Veerappa Moily hinted at "reviewing" the law. While, former health minister Anbumani Ramadoss had openly sought to repeal the law, current Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is yet to comment on the law.
According to a national daily, sources in the home ministry have said that Chidambaram, is likely to speed up matters by taking Moily and Azad's "formal" view at a joint meeting. The issue will also be discussed with state governments in order to ascertain their opinion, the sources added.
When it comes to the Delhi High Court, government officials believe the stand may be changed. The HC is considering a petition challenging arrests under section 377 sighting law minister's support for a "review".
"If there is a consensus over repealing the law or bringing some suitable changes to decriminalise homosexual relationships, the ministry can submit before the court that it has changed its position," a senior official told the national daily.
The home ministry had earlier contended that homosexuality would not be accepted by the Indian society and making any amendments would open the floodgates of delinquent behaviour.
The health ministry, on the other hand, had argued that homosexuals are vulnerable to HIV/Aids and so the discrimination against them should end.
The home ministry is now awaiting clearance from Azad. The high court, too, had told the government to sort out its differences at the earliest.
