Centre forms panel on LGBTQ+ welfare

NEW DELHI: The Union government has formed a committee to address issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community, following a Supreme Court directive in the Supriyo vs Union of India case.

The committee’s mandate includes recommending measures to eliminate discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals in accessing goods and services, ensuring their safety, preventing involuntary medical treatments or surgeries, and addressing discrimination in social welfare entitlements.

The committee may also address any other issues deemed necessary for the protection and well-being of the LGBTQ+ community.

The social justice ministry did not respond to requests from a comment.

The six-member committee, announced in a law ministry order on Tuesday, will be chaired by cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, with social justice and empowerment secretary Saurabh Garg serving as the convenor. Secretaries from the home affairs, women and child development, health and family welfare, and law and justice ministries will also be part of the committee, which has the authority to co-opt experts and officers as needed.

In May 2023, the Centre informed the Supreme Court of its intention to form this committee to address “human concerns” of same-sex couples without legally recognising their relationships as marriages.

The submission was made during the Constitution bench hearings on challenges to the constitutionality of the Special Marriage Act, which began in November 2022. On October 17, 2023, ruled that there is no fundamental right to marry under the SMA for LGBTQ+ persons. The bench had said the proposal for the panel was a significant step