SC commences pronouncing verdict, says it is for Parliament to effect changes in law
Same sex marriage
New Delhi (PTI): It is for Parliament to change the Special Marriage Act and the court can't make law but only interpret it, Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said on Tuesday while pronouncing verdict on 21 pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriage.
Four separate verdicts will be pronounced by the bench.
"There are four separate judgements in the matter," the CJI said and started reading out operative portion of his verdict.
Pronouncing the verdict, he said it was "incorrect to state that marriage is a static and unchanging institution."
The five-judge constitution bench comprises the CJI and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha.
Besides the CJI, Justice Kaul, Justice Bhat and Justice Narasimha have penned separate verdicts.
This court can't make law and it can only interpret it and give effect to it, he said, adding "homosexuality or queerness is not an urban concept or restricted to upper class of society".
"Whether there is need for change in regime of Special Marriage Act is for the Parliament to decide, CJI Chandrachud said.
"To imagine queer as existing only in urban spaces would be like erasing them, queerness can be regardless of one's caste or class," he said.
The pronouncement of verdict by the CJI is underway.
The bench had on May 11 reserved its verdict on the pleas after a marathon hearing of 10 days.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
