HEARD IN THE SUPREME COURT

On religious arguments against gay sex: “We don’t wait for majoritarian governments to strike down the offending law. They may enact, repeal or do whatever they want, but the moment we find that a law violates fundamental rights, we strike it down.”

On decriminalising gay sex: “If you license prostitution, you control it. If you kick it under the carpet owing to some Victorian-era morality, it will only lead to health concerns. All prohibition is wrong.”

On lynching and vigilantism: “…extrajudicial attempts under the guise of protection of the law have to be nipped in the bud; lest it would lead to rise of anarchy and lawlessness which would plague and corrode the nation like an epidemic… They (vigilantes) forget that the administration of law is conferred on the law enforcing agencies and no one is allowed to take the law into his own

hands on the fancy of his shallow spirit of judgment. What the law provides may be taken away by lawful means; that is the fundamental concept of law.”

On Sabarimala and the right of women to pray: “There is no concept of private mandirs (temples). Once a temple is opened, everybody can go and offer prayers... The Sabarimala temple drew funds from the Consolidated Fund, had people coming from all over the world and thus, qualifies to be called a public place of worship. In a public place of worship, a woman can enter where a man can go.”

On the shortage of judges in the MP High Court: “There are criminal appeals pending for over 16 years, 20 years. Do you know how many people are languishing in jail because of this? This is absolutely shocking. I’m personally very shocked. There are so many ad-hoc judges in the pipeline… Judges who have retired at 62… Use them.”