‘Duty Bound’: HC Asks Cops to Give Protection to Same-Sex Couple

Members of the LGBTQ community participate in a pride parade in Mumbai on 2 February. Image used for representation purpose.

(Photo: PTI)

Two women in a live-in relationship, who received threats from their families and others, will be given police protection after the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday, 3 November, directed the Senior Superintendent of Police, Shamli city, to provide the same, reported Bar and Bench.

The report further stated that the women from UP’s Shamli were being harassed because of their sexual orientation, the court observed.

What Did the Court Say?

“The present petition highlights the stark reality of the society where citizens are facing discrimination at the hands of the society only on account of their sexual orientation despite it being well settled that sexual orientation is innate to human being.”

Allahabad High Court

According to Bar and Bench, the HC bench of Justices SK Gupta and Pankaj Bhatia quoted the top court judgment, by which Section 377 was read down, and said:

“This court being a constitutional court is duty bound to monitor and observe the Constitutional morality as well as the rights of the citizens which are under threat only on account of the sexual orientation...”   

(With inputs from Bar and Bench.)