India asks top court to decide on law that criminalizes gay sex

India’s government on Wednesday asked the country’s top court to rule on whether to repeal or keep a law that criminalizes homosexual acts.

Government attorney Tushar Mehta asked the court to rule on the issue of consensual sex acts between two adults. He urged the justices not to widen the scope of the decision to issues such as gay marriage, adoption and inheritance.

The Supreme Court is hearing petitions by activists challenging the law that makes gay sex punishable by up to 10 years in prison.