NEW DELHI, Oct 17: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on same-sex marriage, saying Parliament can hold a discussion on its various aspects and take “appropriate” decisions.
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, who was heading the bench pronouncing its verdict on 21 pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages, said the court can’t make law but only interpret it and it is for Parliament to change the Special Marriage Act.
“The Supreme Court’s decision on same sex marriage is worth welcoming. Our democratic parliamentary system can seriously discuss all the issues related to this and take appropriate decisions,” Sunil Ambekar, Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh of the RSS, said in a post on X.
Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages, saying the order “reinforces the preservation of the traditional institution of marriage.”
A five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court Tuesday unanimously refused to accord legal recognition to same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act, ruling that it is within Parliament’s ambit.Jamiat Ulema-e-Hindi (Maulana Mahmood Madani faction) hailed the ruling as “landmark” and noted that the court arrived at the decision after carefully examining the arguments presented by various social, governmental, and religious organisations.
In a statement, Madani welcomed the verdict and emphasised that the ruling reinforces the preservation of the traditional institution of marriage, which has been a fundamental pillar of our society for centuries.“It underscores the importance of upholding the moral and ethical principles that have long defined our cultural identity,” Madani said.
‘SC upheld principle of parliamentary supremacy’
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday said the Supreme Court has upheld the principle of parliamentary supremacy, reacting to the apex court’s refusal to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages.
“SC has upheld the principle of parliamentary supremacy. It is not up to the courts to decide who gets married under what law,” the Hyderabad MP said on social media platform X.
“My faith and my conscience say that marriage is only between a man and a woman. This is not a question of decriminalisation like in the case of 377, it is about recognition of marriage. It is correct that the state cannot extend it to anyone and everyone.” Owaisi further said he was concerned about “an observation made from the bench that transgender people can marry under SMA and Personal Laws”. He said, “This is not a correct interpretation as far as Islam is concerned, as Islam does not recognise marriage between two biological males or two biological females.”
He added: “I agree with Justice Bhat that ‘a gender-neutral interpretation of the Special Marriage Act may not be equitable at times and can result in women being exposed to vulnerabilities in an unintended manner’.” (PTI)