LGBT Rights: Students From IITs Are Protesting Section 377 Of IPC; File Petition In SC
Shweta Sengar Updated: May 15, 2018
A group of 20 students and alumni of the Indian Institutes of Technology have filed a petition before the Supreme Court against section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which criminalises homosexuality and any form of “unnatural sex”.
The students representing a 350+ alumni, students, staff and faculty who identify themselves as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender have filed a writ petition challenging criminalisation of homosexuality. The group is a part of an informal pan-IIT LGBT group - Pravritti, which has been a safe space for the community to interact, connect and network.
The petition challenges the section on grounds that it violates Articles 14, 15, 16, 19, and 21 of the Constitution.
The articles pertain to fundamental right to freedom of expression, equality and personal liberty.
“We, the petitioners, come from diverse backgrounds in terms of religion, age, sex, gender identity. We belong to different parts of India - from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh to Sambalpur in Odisha to Korba in Chhattisgarh and across the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore to name a few. We are scientists, entrepreneurs, teachers, researchers, business owners and employees in companies. We are children of farmers, teachers, homemakers and government servants,” reads the petition.
The youngest petitioner is 19 years old and 90 per cent of the petitioners are below the age group of 30. The petitioners also include 2 females and one trans woman.
