Same-sex marriage hearing: Here are the top 10 quotes in the Supreme Court

Petitioners said, “If our rights are identical as held by the State, then we want to enjoy the full extent of our rights under 14,15,19,and 21.”

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Of India DY Chandrachud began hearing a new batch of petitions on Tuesday that seek legalisation of same-sex marriage in India. The bench also comprises Justices S K Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, PS Narasimha, and Hima Kohli. At least 15 petitions were referred to a larger bench by the CJI last month on the matter.

The bench comprised of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices S K Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, PS Narasimha, and Hima Kohli. (File)

Appearing for the Centre is SG Tushar Mehta whereas Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi is appearing for the petitioners.

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Here are the top ten things said on the matter in the court on Tuesday:

1. “The debate which is to happen to conferring or creation of socio-legal institution - should that be the forum of this court or parliament?”
2. “This is not an issue which can be debated by 5 individuals on that side, 5 on this side, 5 brilliant minds on the bench. None of know of views of farmer in South India, business man in North...”
3. “We are persons who are of the same sex. We have, acc to us, the same rights under constitution as heterosexual group of society. Your lordships have held that. The only stumbling block on our equal rights was 377. Criminality is now gone. The unnatural part or order of nature is gone from our statute. So therefore our rights are equal."
4. “If our rights are identical as held by the State, then we want to enjoy the full extent of our rights under 14,15,19,and 21.”
5. “Concept of marriage has changed over last 100 years. Earlier we had child marriages, temporary marriages, a person could marry any number of times - that also changed. There was a lot of protest to the new avatar of Hindu marriage act.”
6. “We are getting older. We also want respectability of marriage. Today what is the position? These people- call them queer, gay- if they go to places, people look at them. That is a restriction, infringement of my right under A 21.”
7. ‘LGBTQ+’ people are denied day-to-day rights like bank accounts, marriage works here and will help them to solve many other issues like insurances.
8. “The legislative drafting which was done 50-70 years ago cannot stop what I'm constitutionally entitled to get.”
9. “On the canvas there are two crucial words here marriage and persons. There are two categories of consequences.. one is minor and major consequences of marriage.. marriage has to have some consequential benefits.. even in this limited canvas the bench must travel a little further..”
10. “Society has found much greater acceptance of same sex couples. That's very positive because you find that there is a greater acceptance in our Universities.”