Govt may scrap outdated gay law Text Size: | In 96 hours, the government might finally say it will scrap a 148-year-old law dating from British times, which criminalizes gay sex.



It has taken eight long years and much debate for India to get to the stage of even thinking seriously about decriminalizing homosexuality. If Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code were repealed, it would be a giant leap forward for AIDS prevention in a country with one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world.



Gay rights activists say the delay in repealing the law is criminal. On Thursday, the government will argue its case in the Delhi High Court.



Though it has been sending mixed messages, activists say they take heart from the health minister's recent statement that the law needs changing. Speaking at the international conference on AIDS in Mexico City last month, Anbumani Ramadoss had said, Section 377 of the IPC, which criminalises men who have sex with men, must go.



Ashok Row Kavi, founder of India's first gay group Humsafar Trust, says, Gays are the largest group vulnerable to AIDS. But the government doesn't seem to understand this. Section 377 is one of the main reasons India has an estimated 2.35 million people classed as vulnerable to AIDS but who may not get treated. Follow us on Twitter for TOI top stories Twitter Facebook Share Print Email Save Comment Text Size: | More Stories from this section