Marriage is between "a biological man and a biological woman” says the Centre, opposing the petition to legitimize same-sex marriage in Delhi Court.
On Thursday, the Centre opposed the petitions filed to legitimize same-sex marriages in India. The Centre mentions in the affidavit filed against the pleas that marriage in India is only recognised, by a "larger legislative structure" when it is between a man and a woman. It also stated that, "Personal laws recognise only heteronormative marriages. Interference in this would cause havoc."
According to the Centre, marriage belongs to an age-old tradition that represents “age-old customs, rituals, practices, cultural ethos and societal values” and that same-sex marriage go against these traditions. As per the Centre, marriage is not only a private concept but a socially recognised institution with its own public significance.
It also further added that it is impossible to term one as husband and the other as a wife in a same-sex marriage. The Centre also claims that although the Supreme Court passed its judgement on Section 377, the fundamental right to marriage cannot be claimed by the couples under the laws of the country. The reply was in response to three petitions filed last year by Dr. Kavita Arora and Ankita Khanna, the second by Parag Vijay Mehta and Vaibhav Jain, and the third was filed by Abhijit Iyer Mitra and three others.
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