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Section 377: Supreme Court Judgement Calls On State To Publicise Verdict, Sensitise Police

Justice Rohinton Nariman asked the government to address the prejudice against the LGBT community ingrained in the institutions of state
The decision legalises gay sex in India after a decades-long struggle by the LGBT community.
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The decision legalises gay sex in India after a decades-long struggle by the LGBT community.

NEW DELHI — Justice Rohinton Nariman on Thursday called on the government to widely publicise the Supreme Court's historic verdict reading down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. The decision legalises gay sex in India after a decades-long struggle by the LGBT community.

Justice Nariman noted that the archaic law had served as the basis of discrimination and called on the government to sensitise organs of the state — particularly the police.

"It will be very good if that happens," said activist Gautam Bhan, who is part of a coalition that filed a petition against Section 377 in 2004.

While the five-judge bench was in agreement that Section 377 had to be read down, four judges delivered judgements of their own.

Justice Chandrachud observed that decriminalisation was the first step towards non-discrimination, taking the example of how mental health practice in the country must change.

In India thus far, homosexuality has often been wrongly labelled a mental disease with the members of the LGBTQ community being taken to psychiatrists for "treatment" by their families.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.