Same sex marriage not legalised by India’s supreme court but LGBTQ+ rights must be upheld

India’s supreme court has failed to legalise same-sex marriage, saying it does not have the power to do so.

Instead, the court accepted an offer by the Government to set up a panel to consider giving social and legal rights to same-sex couples.

It comes after the court heard 21 representations from same-sex couples and activists in April and May claiming that laws preventing them from marrying have made them “second-class citizens”.

The ruling will impact tens of millions of LGBTQ+ people in India.

This story is being updated.