Celina Jaitly Expresses Disappointment With The Supreme Court Verdict On Same-Sex Marriage

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OCTOBER 18,2023

The LGBTQIA+ community was waiting with bated breath for a shining beacon of hope as the Supreme Court of India announced the verdict on same-sex marriage on Tuesday. However, their hopes came crashing down as the panel of judges ended in a disagreement, thus placing the sensitive matter in the hands of the Parliament. Amidst this, actress Celina Jaitly expressed her disappointment.

The Bollywood actress has been an LGBTQIA+ activist for the past two decades. While she lost touch with films, Celina Jaitly is pretty vocal about everything that becomes the trend of the hour.

Celina Jaitly reacts to the Supreme Court verdict on same-sex marriage

In a recent interview with India Today, the Apna Sapna Money Money actress expressed her disappointment with the recent ruling of the Supreme Court. She said, "The LGBT community is only asking for rights that every other citizen of India has."

Also Read: Aligarh, Fire, And More Bollywood Movies That Celebrated LGBTQ Relationships

Celina elaborated, "The marriage ruling (Supreme Court) is a disappointment. Something that I have said in my journey as an LGBT activist for the past 20 years is that the LGBT community is not asking for a different subset of rights. They are only asking for rights that every other citizen of India has. The right to a marriage and a family is the most important right that a human being can possess. So I sincerely hope that the Parliament will upgrade the Special Marriages Act and make it gender neutral."

She further added, "On a positive note, the court recorded a statement that it will remain committed to examining the rights and benefits that can be given to queer couples. I think this is a step in the right direction. Rome wasn't built in a day."

What was the Supreme Court verdict?

On Tuesday, a five-judge Constitution bench announced the verdict on same-sex marriage, which had been awaited for quite some time now. The apex court was headed by the Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud.

The verdict ruled in a 3:2 against the constitutional rights to same-sex marriages. The Supreme Court said it is for the Parliament to decide and pass legislation on the same.

The bench that delivered the decision was comprised of DY Chandrachud and justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli, and PS Narasimha.
While the LGBTQIA+ community hoped for a decision in their favor, others were rooting for same-sex marriage to be legalized in India as well.

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