New Delhi: The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court that was set to hear petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage on Monday has been postponed due to the unavailability of two judges who are part of the five-judge bench and are indisposed.
According to ANI, a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud announced on Thursday that it would hear several petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage from Monday to Friday.
However, due to the unavailability of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and S Ravindra Bhat, the Supreme Court has notified that it will not be able to hold the court on April 24.
The Constitution Bench comprising the Chief Justice, Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice Ravindra Bhat, Justice Hima Kohli and Justice PS Narasimha is dealing with a batch of petitions pertaining to ‘marriage equality rights for the LGBTQAI community’.
The Constitution Bench started hearing the petitions on April 18.
The Supreme Court is currently handling several petitions seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage, which have been opposed by the government.
One of the petitions previously highlighted the absence of a legal framework that allowed individuals from the LGBTQ community to marry a person of their choosing.
According to the petition, the couple sought to enforce the fundamental rights of LGBTQ individuals to marry any person of their choice and said that “The exercise of which ought to be insulated from the disdain of legislative and popular majorities”.
The petitioners, further, asserted their fundamental right to marry each other and prayed for appropriate directions from this Court allowing and enabling them to do so.
(With ANI Inputs)