PHOTO: Gay Lawyer Gets Engaged To Partner In Front Of SC Day After It Denied Same-Sex Marriage Rights

After a historic legal battle, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday delivered a monumental judgment on the legal recognition of queer marriages. The apex court in its verdict refused to grant legal rights to the LGBTQIA+ community in India for same-sex marriage.

Gay couple makes a statement in front of SC

A day after the verdict, which is being vehemently criticised by the queer community, Ananya Kotia and Utkarsh Saxena decided to make a statement. The gay couple stood in front of the Apex Court and exchanged their engagement rings.

While sharing the picture of them, Ananya Kotia wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Yesterday hurt. Today, @utkarsh__saxena and I went back to the court that denied our rights, and exchanged rings. So this week wasn't about a legal loss, but our engagement. We'll return to fight another day."

Notably, Ananya Kotia was one the same-sex marriage marriage petitioners in the Supreme Court.

SC denies same-sex marriage rights

5 years after decriminalising homosexuality, the Supreme Court of India on Tuesday determined that the authority to confer legal recognition upon same-sex marriages and civil unions rests exclusively with Parliament and state legislatures. The court emphasised its role as an interpreter of laws rather than a creator of them, asserting that matters concerning marriage fall within the jurisdiction of the legislative bodies.

This verdict has left countless LGBTQIA+ individuals in India disheartened, as they had been anticipating increased rights and acknowledgment. Additionally, the court opted against extending adoption privileges to same-sex couples, with the decision being rendered by a narrow 3-2 majority.