India's top court has refused to legalise same-sex marriages, arguing that the fundamental right to marriage for same-sex couples was not guaranteed by the country’s constitution. But the court said that India nevertheless has a duty to acknowledge LGBTQ relationships and to protect them from discrimination.
“I would still face challenges, but today’s verdict has reduced them to some percent,” says LGBTQ activist Pranav Grover. Marriages in India are governed by family laws for specific religions and Indian religious leaders oppose same sex unions.