Constitutional Equality - An Analyses of LGBTQ+ Rights and Policy Challenges in Contemporary India

T A Varshini

doi:10.53989/jcp.v5i2.26.21

Article

VIEWS 10
PDF 5

Journal of Contemporary Politics

DOI: 10.53989/jcp.v5i2.26.21

Year: 2026, Volume: 5, Issue: 2, Pages: 105-112

Original Article

Constitutional Equality - An Analyses of LGBTQ+ Rights and Policy Challenges in Contemporary India

T A Varshini^1*

¹School of Law, M S Ramaiah University of Applied sciences, Bengaluru, 560054, Karnataka, India

*Corresponding Author
Email: [email protected]

Received Date:03 March 2026, Accepted Date:18 May 2026, Published Date:16 June 2026

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

This Article examines the legal gap between judicial recognition and legislative implementation of LGBTQ+ rights in India, specifically regarding personal laws. It analyses the systematic challenges across criminal law, marriage, adoption, succession, and guardianship. The study adopts doctrinal methodology, analysing landmark judgements, statutory provisions, and comparative legal frameworks from countries like Canada, South Africa, and the Netherlands. In Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India[29], the Supreme Court has decriminalised consensual same sex acts; the subsequent Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita[7] remains largely silent on non-consensual same sex offences, which creates a protection gap. Personal laws governing marriage, adoption, succession and guardianship are confined only to heterosexual couples. The study finds that legislative inaction creates a significant legal vacuum in areas of parentage and inheritance. It argues that moving from decriminalization to “equitable recognition” requires a structured legislative approach that balances constitutional morality with the diverse religious and statutory framework of India. This article contributes to the discourse by identifying specific “protection gaps” in the BNS and the administrative complexities of gender-neutral adoption. It argues for well structured, unbiased and constitutionally aligned legislation, that addresses the diverse concerns including personal law gaps, child welfare and institutional vulnerabilities while safeguarding interests of all citizens.

Keywords: LGBTQ+ rights, Indian Penal Code Section 377, Hostel vulnerabilities, Child welfare issues, Personal laws, Legislative gaps

References

1. Constitution of India, art. 13(3)(a). (1950).

2. Constitution of India, art. 14. (1950).

3. Constitution of India, art. 15. (1950).

4. Constitution of India, art. 19. (1950).

5. Constitution of India, art. 21. (1950).

6. Constitution of India, art. 25. (1950).

7. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, No. 45 of 2023 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

8. Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, No. 46 of 2023, Acts of Parliament, 2023 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

9. Dowry Prohibition Act, No. 28 of 1961, Acts of Parliament, 1961 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

10. Guardians and Wards Act, No. 8 of 1890, Acts of Parliament, 1890 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

11. Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, No. 78 of 1956, Acts of Parliament, 1956 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

12. Hindu Marriage Act, No. 25 of 1955, Acts of Parliament, 1955 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

13. Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, No. 32 of 1956, Acts of Parliament, 1956 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

14. Hindu Succession Act, No. 30 of 1956, Acts of Parliament, 1956 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

15. Income Tax Act, No. 43 of 1961, Acts of Parliament, 1961 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

16. Indian Christian Marriage Act, No. 15 of 1872, Acts of Parliament, 1872 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

17. Indian Penal Code, No. 45 of 1860, Acts of Parliament, 1860 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

18. Indian Succession Act, No. 39 of 1925, Acts of Parliament, 1925 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

19. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, No. 2 of 2016, Acts of Parliament, 2016 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

20. Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, No. 26 of 1937, Acts of Parliament, 1937 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

21. Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, No. 3 of 1936, Acts of Parliament, 1936 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

22. Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, No. 43 of 2005, Acts of Parliament, 2005 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

23. Special Marriage Act, No. 43 of 1954, Acts of Parliament, 1954 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

24. Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, No. 47 of 2021, Acts of Parliament, 2021 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

25. The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, No. 42 of 2021, Acts of Parliament, 2021 (India). https://www.indiacode.nic.in/

26. Arun Kumar v Inspector General of Registration, W.P. No. 4125 of 2019 (Madras H.C. 2019). https://www.mhc.tn.gov.in/judis/

27. Justice K S Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India, (2017) 10 SCC 1 (India). https://main.sci.gov.in/

28. National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (NALSA), (2014) 5 SCC 438 (India). https://main.sci.gov.in/

29. Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India, (2018) 10 SCC 1 (India). https://main.sci.gov.in/

30. Naz Foundation v. Government of NCT of Delhi, 160 Delhi Law Times 277 (Delhi H.C. 2009). http://delhihighcourt.nic.in/

31. Simmi Patwa v. GNCT Delhi & Anr., Crl.M.C. 2602/2024 (Delhi H.C. 2024). http://delhihighcourt.nic.in/

32. Supriyo @ Supriya Chakraborty v. Union of India, (2023) SCC OnLine SC 1348 (India). https://main.sci.gov.in/

33. Suresh Kumar Koushal v. Naz Foundation, (2014) 1 SCC 1 (India). https://main.sci.gov.in/

34. Civil Marriage Act, S.C. 2005, c. 33 (Canada). https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-31.5/

35. Civil Union Act 17 of 2006 (South Africa). https://www.gov.za/documents/civil-union-act

36. Ley 13/2005, de 1 de julio, por la que se modifica el Código Civil en materia de derecho a contraer matrimonio [Law 13/2005 of July 1, modifying the Civil Code regarding the right to marry] (Spain). https://www.boe.es/

37. Wet openstelling huwelijk [Act on the Opening Up of Marriage], Stb. 2001, 9 (Netherlands). https://wetten.overheid.nl/

38. Bhatia G. (2016). Offend, shock, or disturb: Free speech under the Indian Constitution. Oxford University Press.

39. Bhatia GL. (2019). The transformative constitution: A radical biography in nine acts

40. Agarwal A. Marriage equality in India: thinking beyond judicial challenges to secular marriage law. Indian Law Review. 2022; 6 (2). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/24730580.2021.1974768

41. Debnath K. LGBT Identity: The Illustration of “Othering” in India. Sexuality, Gender & Policy. 2017; 1 (1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.18278/sgp.1.1.6

42. Debnath K. (2018). LGBTQ Movement in India: A Post-Civil Society Resistance? The West Bengal Political Science Review, 20(1). https://ssrn.com/abstract=3853069

43. Ahuja A. Beyond Heteronormativity in Indian Family Law. Economic & Political Weekly. 2025; 60 (47). Available from: https://doi.org/10.71279/epw.v60i47.45393

44. Agarwal A. LGBT+ rights claims for marriage equality and the possibilities of transforming Indian family law. International Journal of Constitutional Law. 2023; 21 (4). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1093/icon/moad096

45. Sharma DN. (2026). The Position of LGBTQIA+ And Third Gender in Personal Laws. Knowledgeable Research A Multidisciplinary Journal, 5(01), 118-127.

46. Menon N. (2007). Sexualities. Zubaan.

47. Narrain A. (2004). Queer:" despised Sexuality", Law, and Social Change. Books for Change.

48. Narrain A. (Ed.). (2018). Right to love: Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India: A transformative constitution and the rights of LGBT persons. Alternative Law Forum.

49. Narrain A, Bhan G. (Eds.). (2005). Because I have a voice: Queer politics in India. Yoda Press.

50. Sheikh D. (2018). Of weddings and rights: Same-sex marriage and the limits of liberal constitutionalism. Socio-Legal Review, 14(2), 79–105.

51. Padmanabhan A. (2025). Navigating legal tensions and cultural exchanges: homosexual rights in contemporary India. International Journal for the Semiotics of Law-Revue internationale de Sémiotique juridique, 38(4), 1251-1269.

52. Central Adoption Resource Authority. (2017). Adoption regulations, 2017. Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. https://cara.nic.in/

53. Law Commission of India. (2018). Report No. 185: Review of the Indian Penal Code. https://lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/

54. Ministry of Law and Justice. (2023). The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023: Statement of objects and reasons. Government of India.

55. National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. (2022). Guidelines for child welfare in adoption proceedings. https://ncpcr.gov.in/

56. Klare KE. Legal Culture and Transformative Constitutionalism. South African Journal on Human Rights. 1998; 14 (1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/02587203.1998.11834974

57. Albertyn C, Goldblatt B. Facing the Challenge of Transformation: Difficulties in the Development of an Indigenous Jurisprudence of Equality. South African Journal on Human Rights. 1998; 14 (2). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/02587203.1998.11834979

58. India. Constituent Assembly. (1949). Constituent Assembly debates: official report (Vol. 10). Lok Sabha Secretariat.

59. Mate M. (2013). State constitutions and the basic structure doctrine. Columbia Human Rights Law Review , 45, 441.

60. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. (1990). General comment No. 3: The nature of States parties' obligations (Art. 2, para. 1, of the Covenant). United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner. https://www.ohchr.org/en/resources/land-rights-and-human-rights/general-comment-no-3-nature-states-parties-obligations

61. Barak A, Kalir D. (2012). Proportionality: constitutional rights and their limitations.

62. Kumm M. (2007). Political liberalism and the structure of rights: on the place and limits of the proportionality requirement.

63. United Nations (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Geneva: Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.

64. American Psychiatric Association. (2005). Lesbian and gay parenting. APA: Author.

65. Patterson CJ. Children of Lesbian and Gay Parents. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 2006; 15 (5). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8721.2006.00444.x

66. Biblarz TJ, Stacey J. How Does the Gender of Parents Matter?. Journal of Marriage and Family. 2010; 72 (1). Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2009.00678.x

67. The Hindu. (2023, October 17). Supreme Court declines to legalise same-sex marriage, leaves it to Parliament. https://www.thehindu.com/

68. The New Indian Express. (2025, June 4). Same sex marriage not legalised, but couples could form a family: Madras HC. https://www.newindianexpress.com/

69. Live Law. (2023, October 17). Supriyo Chakraborty v. Union of India: Full text of the judgment. https://www.livelaw.in/

70. Live Law. (2026, January). Bombay HC issues notice on plea by same-sex couple seeking inclusion under definition of “spouse” for tax exemption U/S 56(2)(x) of IT Act. Retrieved from https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/bombay-high-court/bombay-hc-issues-notice-on-plea-by-same-sex-couple-seeking-inclusion-under-definition-of-spouse-for-tax-exemption-us-562x-of-it-act-301175

71. Live Law. (2026, January). Exclusion of transgender persons from NCC not unconstitutional under present law: Kerala HC urges legislative amendment for inclusivity. Retrieved from https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/kerala-high-court/kerala-high-court-exclusion-transgender-persons-ncc-309814