Editor's Pick: No union, but Centre ready to ease living of gay couples

Addressing the “genuine, human concerns” faced by same-sex couples, the Union government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it was willing to form a committee headed by the Cabinet Secretary to consider administrative measures in areas such as banking and insurance, without delving into their petitions for legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The Bench termed the government’s stand a “step forward” and even a “big, big positive” towards achieving wider social acceptance of the right of same-sex couples to cohabit. The Chief Justice said the court could now go into whether same-sex couples have a “right to cohabit together in a normal, peaceable environment in our country without facing any form of discrimination, societal or otherwise”. The court said the Centre’s offer of a forum to address the day-to-day human concerns of the same-sex community would ensure that the petitioners’ movement does not hit a wall, even if they may fail in their endeavour in court. Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, for the petitioners, said the LGBTQIA+ community was happy to accept the “low-hanging fruit” the government is willing to offer by forming a committee, which may do some “administrative tweaking” of office orders or circulars. “But you [Constitution Bench] need to declare the real, symbolic and actual meaning of marriage for the same-sex community,” Mr. Singhvi said. “Ninety-nine per cent of same-sex couples want to get married. Marriage will give their relationship meaning, purpose and identity,” senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, for a gay couple, submitted. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy said same-sex marriage was not an elitist concept. “I speak in many small towns. Young people there want marriage. Do not let them experience what we did. We want a positive enactment of the right to marry,” she said. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said, “The government, though reluctant to give same-sex relationships the status of marriage, is not reluctant to sort out the human concerns arising out of them.” Justice Hima Kohli said the petitioners should not go for an “all-or-none approach” and finally reach a dead end. The 5-judge constitutional bench will continue hearing the pleas on May 9. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor’s Pick and more. Click here. The Hindu’s Editorials Present imperfect: on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s latest report and India A foregone conclusion: on the Uzbekistan referendum to rewrite the Constitution and the country’s future The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which low-cost air carrier has filed for bankruptcy and grounded flights on May 3,4 and 5 over mounting losses? Alliance Air Go Air Go First Akasa Air To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 04 May 2023 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( No union, but Centre ready to ease living of gay couples Addressing the “genuine, human concerns” faced by same-sex couples, the Union government informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that it was [willing to form a committee]( headed by the Cabinet Secretary to consider administrative measures in areas such as banking and insurance, without delving into their petitions for legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The Bench termed the government’s stand a “step forward” and even a “big, big positive” towards achieving wider social acceptance of the right of same-sex couples to cohabit. The Chief Justice said the court could now go into whether same-sex couples have a “right to cohabit together in a normal, peaceable environment in our country without facing any form of discrimination, societal or otherwise”. The court said the Centre’s offer of a forum to address the day-to-day human concerns of the same-sex community would ensure that the petitioners’ movement does not hit a wall, even if they may fail in their endeavour in court. Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, for the petitioners, said the LGBTQIA+ community was happy to accept the “low-hanging fruit” the government is willing to offer by forming a committee, which may do some “administrative tweaking” of office orders or circulars. “But you [Constitution Bench] need to declare the real, symbolic and actual meaning of marriage for the same-sex community,” Mr. Singhvi said. “Ninety-nine per cent of same-sex couples want to get married. Marriage will give their relationship meaning, purpose and identity,” senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, for a gay couple, submitted. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy said same-sex marriage was not an elitist concept. “I speak in many small towns. Young people there want marriage. Do not let them experience what we did. We want a positive enactment of the right to marry,” she said. Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul said, “The government, though reluctant to give same-sex relationships the status of marriage, is not reluctant to sort out the human concerns arising out of them.” Justice Hima Kohli said the petitioners should not go for an “all-or-none approach” and finally reach a dead end. The 5-judge constitutional bench will continue hearing the pleas on May 9. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor’s Pick and more. [Click here.]( The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][Present imperfect: on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s latest report and India]( [Arrow][A foregone conclusion: on the Uzbekistan referendum to rewrite the Constitution and the country’s future]( The Hindu’s Daily News Quiz Which low-cost air carrier has filed for bankruptcy and grounded flights on May 3,4 and 5 over mounting losses? - Alliance Air - Go Air - Go First - Akasa Air To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here.]( [Sign up for free]( [[Jantar Mantar scuffle | Protesting wrestlers say ‘ready to return all our medals and awards’] Jantar Mantar scuffle | Protesting wrestlers say ‘ready to return all our medals and awards’]( [[Operation Kaveri | India completes risky evacuation of most of the Hakki Pikki tribe members from Sudan] Operation Kaveri | India completes risky evacuation of most of the Hakki Pikki tribe members from Sudan]( [[Indians use over 5 platforms to access news: Google-Kantar Report] Indians use over 5 platforms to access news: Google-Kantar Report]( [[Cognizant may lay off 3,500 employees] Cognizant may lay off 3,500 employees]( Copyright @ 2023, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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