Bengaluru: Supporters of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community yesterday staged a ‘pride parade' here, challenging the Supreme Court's verdict upholding the validity of Section 377 of the IPC which makes gay sex an offence punishable up to life imprisonment.
“The Supreme Court gave a recent judgement which states that transgenders are equal citizens of this country, but still the full freedom of this whole comment has not been delivered properly,” Akai, an LGBT activist, told reporters here.
She also demanded the setting up of a national and state transgender welfare board for gays and make laws in favour of gays to reject discrimination that the community is facing.
The apex court is hearing in an open court the curative plea of gay rights activists against its order of criminalising gay sex.
A four-judge bench is hearing a bunch of petitions filed by gay rights activists including Naz Foundation, an NGO, and noted film director Shyam Benegal, who are challenging the apex court's verdict upholding the validity of Section 377 of IPC which makes gay sex an offence punishable up to life imprisonment.
The apex court had on December 11, 2013 set aside a Delhi High Court judgment decriminalising gay sex against which a curative petition has been filed.
