Validity of Section 377 challenged, SC to continue hearing today

The hearing on scrapping Section 377 that prescribes a life term in jail for gay sex will continue in the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

During the previous hearing on Tuesday, a five-judge Constitutional bench had refused to adjourn the hearing after the Centre sought more time to file its reply.

The Centre requested the court to adjourn the hearing and sought four weeks to file its reply to the petitions.

The bench, led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, however, refused and listed it for today.

Earlier in 2009, the Delhi High Court had decriminalised Section 377, but the order was later set aside by a Supreme-Court bench.

Section 377 deals with "unnatural offences," and holds "whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine."

(With inputs from ANI)