There is no legal bar for anyone making their same-sex partner a nominee in insurance policies, the Life Insurance Corporation of India has confirmed in a reply to an RTI application by a Kolkata-based queer couple, Suchandra Das and Sree Mukherjee.

Speaking to agencies, Suchandra informed that the LIC has clearly mentioned in its reply that there is no illegality in nominating any person, including a stranger or a legal entity. “In effect this means that there is no bar for a policy holder from making a person not related to him or her by birth, consanguinity, marriage or adoption as his or her nominee,” said Suchandra, who is a professional photographer.