India: Last News

India’s LGBTQ community for decades endured deep-seated discrimination and societal repression, living in the shadows of a nation that often refused to see them. Yet, in recent years, a wave of change has swept across the country.

Slowly but surely, the community is winning battles on multiple fronts. The most significant breakthrough came in 2018 when India’s Supreme Court struck down Section 377, decriminalizing homosexuality. This landmark ruling not only rewrote a colonial-era law — it ignited hope, signaling the dawn of a more inclusive India where love is not a crime.

India’s Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry on Sept. 1 took a bold step, inviting feedback from stakeholders and the public to shape more inclusive policies for the LGBTQ community. This move follows the Supreme Court’s landmark October 2023 directive in the Supriya v. Union of India case, which called on the government to safeguard LGBTQ rights.

The government since then has initiated several measures aimed at creating a more equitable future for the community, ensuring their voices are heard, and their interests protected.

The Indian government in response to the Supreme Court’s ruling formed a high-level committee, chaired by the Cabinet secretary, to clarify and define the rights and entitlements of the LGBTQ community. The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry announced this in a statement, marking a crucial step toward formalizing protections, and ensuring the community’s legal recognition and inclusion in India’s evolving social framework.

The Indian government in April formed a committee that includes officials from the Home Affairs, Women and Child Development and Health, and Family Welfare Ministries with the secretary as the convening member. The committee by May met to tackle pressing issues facing the LGBTQ community.

Their discussions covered vital matters like the issuance of ration cards, allowing LGBTQ people to open joint bank accounts with their partners, and