(India) Supreme Court will review law criminalising gay sex

[steve2470]

http://in.reuters.com/article/india-court-supreme-homesexuality-gay-se-idINKCN0VB0XJ

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will review a decision over whether to uphold a colonial-era law that criminalises gay sex in a victory for homosexual rights campaigners at a time when the nation is navigating a path between tradition and modernity.

The court asked a five-judge bench to examine whether the 1860 law, which imposes a 10-year sentence for gay sex, is constitutional, a lawyer for a gay rights group said.

"It is definitely a move forward," said lawyer Anand Grover as activists gathered outside the court cheered.

This was the last legal avenue for campaigners seeking to use the courts to strike down the law. Otherwise, any future decisions to lift the ban will rest with the country's politicians who are largely conservative and oppose any changes.