FM Arun Jaitley, P Chidambaram come out in support of decriminalising homosexuality

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his predecessor P Chidambaram, on Saturday, came out in support of Section 377 of Indian Penal Code, saying that the Supreme Court should reconsider its decision of criminalising homosexuality.

Jaitley said future generations will have to see that the decisions and verdict criminalising consensual gay sex "are reconsidered".

In December 2013, the Supreme Court had reversed the July 2009 ruling of the Delhi High Court decriminalising homosexual relationships between consenting adults. 

Former FM Chidambaram also came out in support of decriminalising homosexuality, saying that the Supreme Court should have stayed with the decision of Delhi High Court verdict.

What is Section 377 of IPC?

The Section 377 of the Indian Constitution is a descendant of an archaic law from the colonial British rule, which describes homosexual acts as “unnatural”. It was incorporated into the IPC in 1860. The section reads: “377. Unnatural offences — Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine”.