The Supreme Court declined to stay the Delhi High Court judgment declaring Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional and decriminalising unnatural sex between consenting adults.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice P. Sathasivam granted eight weeks for the Centre to file its response to special leave petitions challenging the High Court verdict.
Attorney-General G.E. Vahanvati submitted that since three Ministries were involved it would take some time to formulate the response. The government had taken a stand before the High Court and it would have to reconsider it. However, he opposed staying the High Court judgment.