Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<keyword id="22076991" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zero-FIR" source="keywords">Zero FIR</keyword>, registration of <keyword id="20092859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="police-complaints" source="keywords">police complaints</keyword> online, summons through electronic modes and mandatory videography of crime scenes of all heinous crimes are the key highlights of the three new <keyword id="19911888" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="criminal-laws" source="keywords">criminal laws</keyword> that will come into effect from July 1. The <keyword id="19899463" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Nyaya-Sanhita" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita">Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita</keyword> 2023, <keyword id="19922249" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Nagarik-Suraksha-Sanhita" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita">Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita</keyword> 2023 and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 mark a significant step towards empowering Indian citizens and aim to create a more accessible, supportive and efficient <keyword id="20453941" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="justice-system" source="keywords">justice system</keyword> for everyone, official sources said. The new laws, enacted late last year, are set to replace the <keyword id="22189969" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="British-era-Indian-Penal-Code" source="keywords">British-era Indian Penal Code</keyword>, <keyword id="19898813" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Code-of-Criminal-Procedure" source="keywords">Code of Criminal Procedure</keyword> and the Indian Evidence Act respectively. Under the new laws, a person can now report incidents by electronic communication, without the need to physically visit a police station. This allows for easier and quicker reporting, facilitating prompt action by the police, the sources said. With the introduction of zero FIR, a person can file a First Information Report (FIR) at any police station, regardless of jurisdiction. This eliminates delays in initiating legal proceedings and ensures immediate reporting of the offence. Under the new laws, victims will receive a free copy of the FIR, ensuring their participation in the legal process. An interesting addition of the law is that in the event of an arrest, the individual has the right to inform a person of his choice about his or her situation. This will ensure immediate support and assistance to the arrested individual. Besides, arrest details will now be prominently displayed within police stations and district headquarters, allowing families and friends of the arrested person easy access to important information. To strengthen the case and investigations, it has become mandatory for forensic experts to visit crime scenes for serious offences and collect evidence. Additionally, the process of evidence collection at the crime scene will be mandatorily videographed to prevent tampering of evidence. This dual approach significantly enhances the quality and reliability of investigations and contributes to a fair administration of justice, the sources said. The new laws prioritised the investigations for offences against women and children, ensuring timely completion within two months of recording information. Under the new law, victims are entitled to regular updates on the progress of their case within 90 days. This provision keeps the victims informed and involved in the legal process, enhancing transparency and trust. The new laws guarantee free first-aid or medical treatment to victims of crimes against women and children at all hospitals. This provision ensures immediate access to essential medical care, prioritising the well-being and recovery of victims during challenging times. Summons can now be served electronically, expediting the legal processes, reducing paperwork and ensuring efficient communication between all parties involved. For certain offences against women, statements of the victim are to be recorded, as far as practicable, by a woman magistrate and in her absence, by a male magistrate in the presence of a woman to ensure sensitivity and fairness, creating a supportive environment for victims. Both the accused and the victim are entitled to receive copies of the FIR, police report, chargesheet, statements, confessions and other documents within 14 days. Courts grant a maximum of two adjournments to avoid unnecessary delays in case hearings, ensuring timely justice delivery. The new laws mandate all state governments to implement witness protection scheme to ensure the safety and cooperation of witnesses and enhancing the credibility and effectiveness of legal proceedings. The definition of "gender" now includes transgender individuals, promoting inclusivity and equality. By conducting all legal proceedings electronically, the new laws offer convenience to victims, witnesses and accused, thereby streamlining and expediting the entire legal process. In order to provide more protection to the victim and enforce transparency in investigation related to an offence of rape, the statement of the victim shall be recorded through audio video means by the police. Women, persons below 15 years, persons above 60 years and those with disabilities or acute illness are exempt from attending police stations and can receive police assistance at their place of residence. A new chapter has been added in BNS specifically to address offences against women and children, ensuring focused protection and justice. Various offences against women and children have been made gender-neutral in BNS, covering all victims and perpetrators regardless of gender. The new laws introduce community service for minor offences in order to promote personal growth and social responsibility of an individual. Under community service, the offenders get the chance to positively contribute to society, learn from their mistakes and build stronger community bonds. Under the new laws, the fines imposed for certain crimes have been aligned with the severity of the offences, ensuring fair and proportional punishment, deterring future offences and maintaining public trust in the legal system. The legal processes have been simplified to make them easier to understand and follow, ensuring fair and accessible justice. The new laws promise a faster and fair resolution of cases, instilling confidence in the legal system. The legislations were considered and passed by Parliament in its winter session in 2023. Total 37 members of Parliament from Lok Sabha and 40 from Rajya Sabha participated in the debate.

New criminals laws will allow citizens to lodge police complaints online, file FIR from any jurisdiction

<ul><li>The Indian government has asked the <keyword id="6354889" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="central-bureau-of-investigation">Central Bureau of Investigation</keyword> to look into whether <keyword id="3168816" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="cambridge-analytica">Cambridge Analytica</keyword> misused data from Indian users or not. </li><li>The investigation will determine whether the <keyword id="75223" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Penal-Code">Indian Penal Code</keyword> or the <keyword id="6363148" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="information-technology">Information Technology</keyword> Act, 2000 were violated. </li><li>Notices issued in the past have yielded contradictory statements from <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword> and Cambridge Analytica. </li></ul>After two notices and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/is-facebook-ignoring-the-needs-of-users-in-emerging-markets/articleshow/64306317.cms">ignoring</a> the needs the emerging markets, Cambridge Analytica may finally have to answer to the Indian government. In a <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/cbi-to-probe-if-cambridge-analytica-misused-indians-facebook-data-govt-118072601259_1.html">statement</a> made by <keyword id="6354886" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ravi-Shankar-Prasad">Ravi Shankar Prasad</keyword>, the Law and IT Minister of India, the Indian government has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to look into the misuse of data by the the consultancy firm. The probe will investigate whether the activities of the British firm violated any clause of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and/or the Informational Technology Act, 2000. The speculation over the involvement of Cambridge Analytica had led to a war or words between two of the leading political parties in India, the BJP and Congress. Implementing change Aside from looking into the misuse of Indian <keyword id="645406" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="User-data">user data</keyword>, Prasad also said that the Indian government in looking at ways of strengthening the legal framework so large social media platforms can’t bypass Indian laws. One proposal includes passing a law that requires all social media platforms to post grievance officers in India. Notices already issued When the Cambridge Analytica scandal initially broke, the Indian Government <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-india-sends-notice-to-facebook-over-alleged-data-breach-2018-3">issued a notice</a> on 23 March seeking a response on whether or not data of Indian users had been collected by the firm or its associates. The next week, they issued a notice to Facebook as well making an enquiry along the same lines. Cambridge Analytica’s response to the notice was ‘cryptic’ and ‘evasive’. It stated that it only collected Indian user’s data from first party research instruments, and nothing from the social networking platform. Facebook, on the other hand, admitted that around 562,000 people in India were potentially affected by the data breach. In the face of contradictory reports, fresh notices were issued in April seeking more in-depth responses. <div type="ExtQuote" text="Facebook responded that they will streamline their internal processes regarding the handling of personal data. They stated that the case of Cambridge Analytica was a case of breach of trust. They promised to take various other steps to ensure that such breaches don’t occur." auname="Ravi Shankar Prasad"></div>

 Addressing the recent wave of violence brought about by fake news, the IT minister also expressed the importance of platforms to be responsible and implement technological solutions to prevent such cases from occuring again.

CBI to investigate the misuse of Indian user data by Cambridge Analytica

<ul><li>The world’s largest <keyword id="6354914" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="democracy">democracy</keyword> finally decriminalised homosexual intercourse yesterday and scrapped the controversial <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">Section 377</keyword>. </li><li>While this decision by the country’s highest court is certainly significant, there needs to be more of an impetus for social change and removing ignorance from society. </li><li>After decriminalisation, the focus should be on implementing LGTBQ rights in marriage, inheritance, adoption and surrogacy. </li></ul>In a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/section-377-verdict-indias-top-court-decriminalises-homosexuality-in-landmark-verdict/articleshow/65697010.cms">landmark decision</a> by the <keyword id="75952" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court-of-India">Supreme Court of India</keyword>, Section 377 was finally scrapped from the <keyword id="75223" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Penal-Code">Indian Penal Code</keyword>. A part of Indian law since 1861, Section 377 deemed sexual intercourse ‘against the order of nature’ leading to imprisonment of 10 years up to life, as well as a fine. The removal of this section ties into the basic civil right of privacy, freedom and equality. Any individual has the right to choose how they wish to live their life without being discriminated against in society. That being said, while the removal of Section 377 takes a huge step in that direction, there's still a lot more that has to be done for true equality to be implemented on the ground level. Battling the stigma As Justice Rohinton Nariman’s <a href="https://www.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2016/14961/14961_2016_Judgement_06-Sep-2018.pdf">verdict</a> states, “We further declare that such groups are entitled to the protection of equal laws, and are entitled to be treated in society as human beings without any stigma being attached to any of them.” Despite that, prominent public figures in India have issued statements in the past that range from being ignorant to plain abuse. While one can hope that the removal of Section 377 will change their minds, various debates on the subject across multiple news channels exhibit otherwise. There needs to be a campaign to not only to raise awareness but to educate people on what <keyword id="34262" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="homosexuality">homosexuality</keyword> is. According to <keyword id="6833354" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="justice-nariman">Justice Nariman</keyword> the government should conduct programmes to end the stigma around homosexuality and individuals employed with the government should receive workshops to sensitise them to subject. That being said, the initiative would a long way if it was implemented in the school system and workplace as well. In a country where basic sex education isn’t even implemented in schools, awareness against judgement and prejudice is all the more important. The path forward The next step of the Indian government after decriminalizing homosexuality is to allow for same-sex marriages. It will take time to happen, but like in other countries around the world, it could be brought in as an interim measure. Civil partnerships should be recognised as binding across all sectors some which include insurance, inheritance, surrogacy, adoption or childbirth. Currently, there's no law in place to battle discrimination at that level. More than addressing discrimination, it’s also about the realisation of fundamental <keyword id="52767" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Human-rights">human rights</keyword>. For instance, the current law on rape is inadequate to address non-consensual sex between same-sex individuals. And, the same follow through when it comes to sexual harrassment. There’s a lot of <a href="https://qz.com/india/1380947/section-377-the-former-british-colonies-with-laws-against-gay-people/">conversation</a> about how Section 377 the legacy of the British rule in India. But even the United Kingdom, excluding Northern Ireland, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-26793127">passed</a> the legislation allowing for <keyword id="393963" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="same-sex-marriage">same-sex marriage</keyword> back in 2013.

Section 377 verdict: What’s next for India?

<ul><li>The apex court proclaimed on Wednesday that it is of the view that “two consenting adults even if involved in ‘unnatural sex’, will not be liable for any kind of criminal action or prosecution”. </li><li>In 2009, the <keyword id="6355014" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-high-court">Delhi High Court</keyword> passed a landmark decision wherein it ruled that the law could not be applied to consensual sex.</li><li>The Supreme Court reversed the High Court’s decision and reinstated the law in 2013. </li><li>This homosexuality law came into being in the 1860s when the British colonists introduced <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">Section 377</keyword>. </li><li>UK decriminalised sexual activity between men over 50 years back, but, like India, many of its former colonies, including Singapore, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malaysia, are yet to legalise homosexuality.</li></ul> The Indian gay community may soon be able to heave a collective sigh of relief after the <keyword id="75952" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court-of-India">Supreme Court of India</keyword> strongly suggested yesterday (11 July) that it is leaning towards repealing a law that criminalises the act of <keyword id="45200" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gay-sex">gay sex</keyword>. The court <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sc-on-verge-of-decriminalising-gay-sex-govt-leaves-it-to-wisdom-of-judges/articleshow/64953750.cms">proclaimed</a> that it is of the view that “two consenting adults even if involved in ‘unnatural sex’, will not be liable for any kind of criminal action or prosecution”. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India <keyword id="6355251" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="dipak-misra">Dipak Misra</keyword> began hearing petitions challenging Section 377 of the <keyword id="75223" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Penal-Code">Indian Penal Code</keyword> that criminalising consensual gay sex filed by a group of gay and lesbian Indians on Tuesday (10 July). The hearing is slated to last around two weeks. This group of petitioners <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/10/world/asia/india-gay-decriminalization.html">includes</a> prominent individuals including businesswoman Ayesha Kapur, celebrity chef Ritu Dalmia, journalist Sunil Mehra and hotelier <keyword id="275421" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Aman-Nath">Aman Nath</keyword>. In fact, this hearing will be quite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/10/indian-supreme-court-starts-hearing-on-decriminalising-gay-sex">different</a> from the earlier ones in the sense that some of these petitioners will actually get a chance to share with the court how this law has negatively affected their lives. Additional solicitor general Tushar Mehta on Wednesday also handed over an affidavit by the Centre that clearly stated that the government has left the constitutional validity of the law to the “wisdom of the court”. This basically means the Centre will not challenge the court’s decision, whatever it may be. This homosexuality law came into being in the 1860s when the British colonists introduced Section 377. The law essentially states that “whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature” will be punished with imprisonment for life. 
 
 <div type="image" title="yannis-papanastasopoulos-327336-unsplash" msid="64964419" hostid="261"></div>



 Ironically, UK decriminalised sexual activity between men - the law never applied to women - over 50 years back in 1967. But, like India, many of its former <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/03/world/asia/03india.html">colonies</a>, including Singapore, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Malaysia, are yet to legalise homosexuality. In 2009, the Delhi High Court passed a landmark decision wherein it ruled that the law could not be applied to consensual sex, but that decision was only valid in the territory of India’s capital city, Delhi. It did, however, raise the hopes of around <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/india-sex-relations-india-decriminalise-gay-sex-180710214650095.html">2.5 million Indians</a> who, according to government figures from 2012, identify themselves as gay. These hopes were subsequently crushed by the Supreme Court who reversed the High Court’s decision and reinstated the law in 2013 after various religious groups protested the decriminalisation. Then in <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sc-verdict-says-sexual-orientation-part-of-privacy-lgbt-community-celebrates/story-wk3PFmNK0G2tCpBK4GyjZK.html">August 2017</a>, another glimmer of hope was doled out by the Supreme Court who ruled that individual privacy is a “guaranteed fundamental right” and that “sexual orientation is an essential attribute of privacy.” By doing this it essentially reversed its own ruling against gay sex.

The Supreme Court of India is veering towards legalizing gay sex

<ul><li>Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju have been featured in the <keyword id="153271" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Time-magazine">Time Magazine</keyword>’s list of <keyword id="1018006" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="100-most-influential-people-in-the-world">100 most influential people in the world</keyword>. </li><li>They argued that discrimination on the basis of sexuality and its expression is against fundamental human rights. </li><li>Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> also featured in the list.</li></ul> Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju, the Indian lawyers who won the case for scrapping India’s colonial-era law that had criminalised homosexuality, have been featured in the Time Magazine’s<a href="http://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2019/?utm_campaign=bannerpromo-2019time100&amp;utm_source=time.com&amp;utm_medium=banner"> list of 100 most influential people in the world</a>. Last year, India’s Supreme Court struck down <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">section 377</keyword> of the Indian Penal Code in a landmark decision, legalising same-sex relations. Forty-four-year-old Guruswamy, a lecturer at Columbia Law School, practises law before the Supreme Court of India. And Katju is a doctor of Juridical Science candidate at Columbia Law School, with over 13 years of experience in Indian trials. They argued that discrimination on the basis of sexuality and its expression is against fundamental human rights. Writing for Time magazine, Indian actor Priyanka Chopra said, “Arundhati and Menaka have helped take a giant leap for the LGBTQ+ rights in the world’s largest democracy. In their committed fight for justice, they have shown us that we as a society must continue to make progress, even after laws are changed, and we must make an effort to understand, accept and love. ” Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani also featured in the list, which also included US President Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Facebook founder ark Zuckerberg and Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj. With IANS

Indian lawyers who fought the country’s battle for LGBT rights among Times’ 100 most influential people in the world

In a decision that surprised a lot of people this month, <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>'s Supreme Court Wednesday <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/india-supreme-court-criminalizes-gay-sex-2013-12">reinstated a colonial-era ban on gay sex that enables the jailing of homosexuals</a>. The law - section 377 of the Indian penal code - prohibits "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" and had been ruled an infringement of human rights in 2009. India, one of the world's largest countries, rejoined the list of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/where-homosexuality-is-illegal-2013-12">77 countries that outlaw homosexual acts</a>.
The law has been met with anger and exasperation from India's LGBT community and their supporters. Today, <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vikram-seth-on-gay-rights-homosexuality/1/332025.html">India Today</a>, an English-language magazine with a circulation of 1.6 million, published an article by Vikram Seth, the celebrated author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Suitable-Boy-Novel-Modern-Classics/dp/0060786523">A Suitable Boy</a>, one of the longest books ever written in the English-language.
The striking cover gives you an idea of what lies inside:
<div class="image-container"><div class="image">India Today</div></div>
Inside Seth writes a short but powerful article on love, <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vikram-seth-on-gay-rights-homosexuality/1/332025.html">whether it is heterosexual or homosexual</a>. "To not be able to love the one you love is to have your life wrenched away," he writes. "To do this to someone else is to murder their soul."
Talking to the BBC's Soutik Biswas, Seth - who identifies as a bisexual - explained <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-25459648">why he felt compelled to write the article.</a> "It takes a fair amount to get me incensed," he said. "And a judgement which takes away the liberties of at least 50 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in India is scandalous, it's inhumane - and if you wish, you can remove the e at the end of that word.
You can read his <a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vikram-seth-on-gay-rights-homosexuality/1/332025.html?source=hometoplead">entire India Today essay here</a>.

Read The Beautiful Essay On Love By An Indian Author Whose Sexuality Has Been Outlawed

<ul><li>In September 2018, India’s Supreme Court struck down <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">Section 377</keyword> and Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, two colonial era law that had criminalised homosexuality and adultery. </li><li>At an annual press conference today, India’s <keyword id="15350" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Army">Army</keyword> Chief, <keyword id="2496903" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bipin-Rawat">Bipin Rawat</keyword>, said that the rulings would not apply to the country’s soldiers, citing the conservative nature of the <keyword id="6359526" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="military">military</keyword> establishment. </li><li>He further explained that once a person joins the Indian army, they aren’t necessarily subject to the same rights and privileges, saying “Some things are different for us.”</li></ul> In September 2018, a five-bench judge of India’s Supreme Court <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/section-377-verdict-indias-top-court-decriminalises-homosexuality-in-landmark-verdict/articleshow/65697010.cms">struck down Section 377</a> of the Indian Penal Code, a colonial era law from 1861 that had criminalised homosexuality and called it “unnatural.” In the same month, the apex court also scrapped Section 497 of the IPC, which banned adultery between consenting partners. Both these verdicts got India international praise. For example, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, called the verdict on Section 377 a "landmark" judgment, explaining it would herald “vital changes.” However, the Indian army won’t abide by any of these. At an annual press conference today, India’s Army Chief, Bipin Rawat, didn’t mince any words about how the ruling applied to the country’s soldiers. “We will not allow this to happen in the Army," Rawat <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/wont-allow-gay-sex-in-the-army-says-chief-general-rawat-1975706">clarified</a>, citing the conservative nature of the military establishment. When pressed on the soldiers’ right to freedom, he further explained that once a person joins the Indian army, they aren’t necessarily subject to the same rights and privileges, saying “Some things are different for us.” At the time, however, there were <a href="https://theprint.in/security/indian-army-is-worried-now-that-men-can-legally-have-sex-with-other-men/113644/">some doubts</a> as to whether the Indian Army would subscribe to the order, given that same-sex relations are implicitly banned by the Armed Forces Act under the guise of “civil offences” or “unbecoming conduct.” Rawat isn’t alone since other countries, especially in Asia, have banned <keyword id="6464875" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="gay">gay</keyword> sex in the Army. However, he risks undermining a law that stands to revolutionise the country’s approach to individual freedom. On the other hand, a <a href="https://www.npr.org/2010/12/07/131857684/how-gay-soldiers-serve-openly-around-the-world">number of countries</a> around the world allow openly gay people to serve in the military such as the UK, Israel, Australia, Canada, South Africa, Chile, Brazil and the US, which lifted the ban <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/sep/20/us-military-lifts-ban-gay-troops">as recently as 2011</a>. While it is obvious that Rawat did not want to shake up the ethos and belief structure of a 114-year old institution, one can’t help thinking that his views seem a bit antiquated.

No room for gays, declares India’s army chief four months after landmark verdict

Someone utters the world ‘<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Slavery+">Slavery</a>’ and one can map a picture of starving men and women in torn clothes made to work recklessly, kept in dark gallows, chained and tortured by their ‘masters’. To us in this day and age, it is more like an issue from a bygone era. Or that it only exists in countries ravaged by war and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=poverty">poverty</a>. Even as such form of bonded labour has been abolished by the Indian law way back in 1976, yet it has manifested itself through the roots branching out to every corner of the Indian society today. It is what we call modern day slavery. 
 Pronouncing India as the 'World’s Slave Capital', the Global Slavery Index last year said that out of 35.8 million people living in <keyword id="1978296" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="modern-slavery">modern slavery</keyword> globally, Asia accounts for 23.5 million victims, and India alone accounts for 14.2 million people. You may want to know what is modern slavery? We say it’s something you and I are not a victim of, but our domestic help may be, a beggar on the street may be, women working in factories mostly are. To be clearer, a universally accepted definition of modern slavery is that it involves one person possessing or controlling another person in such as a way as to significantly deprive that person of their individual liberty, with the intention of exploiting that person through their use, management, profit, transfer or disposal. It occurs in brick kilns, carpet weaving, embroidery and other textile manufacturing, forced prostitution, agriculture, domestic servitude, mining, and organised begging rings to cite a few. 
 
The Index report sheds light on the immense challenges in India's modern slavery. “Across India's population of over 1.2 billion people, all forms of modern slavery, including inter-generational bonded labour, trafficking for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=sexual+exploitation">sexual exploitation</a> and forced marriage, exist. Evidence suggests that members of lower castes and tribes, religious minorities and migrant workers are disproportionately affected by modern slavery. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Labour+">Labour </a>is particularly prevalent throughout India with families enslaved for generations." 
 
Moreover, there are reports of women and children from India being recruited with promises of non-existent jobs and later sold for sexual exploitation, or forced into sham marriages. In some religious groups, pre-pubescent girls are sold for sexual servitude in temples. Recent reports suggest that one child goes missing every eight minutes; it is feared that some are sold into forced begging, domestic work, and commercial sexual exploitation. 
 
Amid the dismal state of affair, there have been some ongoing efforts to tackle the situation in India: 
 
- In 2013, the government amended the Indian Penal code to include specific anti-trafficking provisions. 
-In 2014, the government expanded the number of police anti-human trafficking units across the country to 215 units, aiming to establish a unit in 650 districts. 
-The judiciary and over 20,000 law enforcement have received training on victim identification, the new legal framework, and victim-centered investigations. 
-NGOs and the civil society at large are actively involved in counseling, supporting and rescuing victims, often taking enormous risks. 
 
However, a lot needs to be done to curb the menace that plagues our society and threatens the freedom of our people. “Traffickers are motivated by high profits and the low risk due to weak law enforcement and low levels of prosecution. To tackle <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=trafficking">human trafficking</a>, prosecution and punishment of offenders must be pursued as well as legal action to seize the assets and profits of traffickers," said the study by the Freedom Fund and Thomson Reuters Foundation. 
 
"While prosecutions alone will not bring an end to trafficking, there is immense potential to use legal strategies to deliver justice to victims, deter potential perpetrators and put traffickers out of business," it added. 
 
As the world observes International Day for Abolition of Slavery today, here are some pictures reflecting the disappointing state of slavery in India even 68 years after it came out of the clutches of the British rule: 
 
(Image credits: Reuters)

Shameful! India is the
‘World’s Slave Capital’

In a landmark judgment, <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>’s Supreme Court has decriminalised <keyword id="34262" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="homosexuality">homosexuality</keyword>, striking down a colonial era law from 1861, saying homosexuality is not an offense. Upholding the rights of individuals, a 5-judge bench led by India’s Chief Justice <keyword id="6355251" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="dipak-misra">Dipak Misra</keyword> took a unanimous decision with the chief justice saying the “LGBT Community has the same rights as of any ordinary citizen. Respect for each others rights, and others are supreme humanity. Criminalising gay sex is irrational and indefensible,” the chief justice reportedly observed. The court has observed: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>
















 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>
















 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>















 The <keyword id="6362797" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="section-377">section 377</keyword>, which dates back to 1861, had criminalised sexual activities that are "against the order of nature." The law has been used to criminalise homosexuality in the country, often impinging on the rights of the LGBTQ community in India. A five-person bench headed by India’s Chief Justice Dipak Misra pronounced its judgment following a hearing in July on a string of petitions that had challenged the law as unconstitutional that violated the fundamental rights of citizens including the right to equality and right to freedom and expression. The right to privacy verdict of the Supreme Court earlier this year is also likely to be a significant factor that will influence the court’s decision. In 2013, India’s Supreme Court had overturned an earlier ruling by the <keyword id="6355014" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-high-court">Delhi High Court</keyword> which had decriminalised section 377 in 2009. The Indian government which had been given the option of enacting legislation that would have scrapped this law, had left the decision to the “wisdom” of India’s Supreme Court. The decision marks a key moment for both India’s Supreme Court as well as its outgoing Chief Justice Misra who will pass on reigns to Justice Ranjan Gogoi next month. In 2001, Netherlands became the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/where-is-same-sex-marriage-legal-world-2017-11">first</a> country to recognise same sex marriages. Same sex marriages are now legally permitted in over 20 countries including Australia, the US, New Zealand, Germany, and Malta, among others. Section 377 The section 377 of the Indian Penal Code is a colonial era law that criminalised sexual activities that are "against the order of nature” and was punishable with life imprisonment. Specifically, the language of the 377 states that “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.” While the law has rarely been enforced, gay and civil right activists have long argued the law was used to harass members of India’s queer community. The 377 itself traces its root to the Buggery Act of 1533, enacted during the reign of King Henry VIII that criminalised and sodomy and bestality. Moment Of Pride The decision has been hailed as a historic win for the LGBTQ rights in India and Twitter as abuzz with celebratory tweets from celebrities and politicians alike: 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>








 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>








 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>








 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype=""><cdata><![CDATA[
 
]]></cdata></div>

Section 377 Verdict: India’s top court decriminalises homosexuality in landmark verdict

The <keyword id="6354977" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Supreme-Court">Supreme Court</keyword> passed a landmark judgment today, when it decided to strike down Section 66A of the IT Act. And this decision has been hailed by millions of social birdies, who can now fearlessly express their opinions on the social media. 
	 
	“Our Constitution provides for liberty of thought, expression and belief. We now live in a modern digital era and everyone has freedom to express their thoughts. Restricting freedom of speech through section 66A was completely unconstitutional and vague,” said Atul Ranjan, co-founder of SocialViral, a New Delhi based social media marketing agency. 
	 
	He added that the section was an instrument used by the state authorities for vested interests. “This is a great victory for the common man and the social media industry, empowering them to now express their views freely. People are now protected against unnecessary torture and harassment at the hands of the police. Politicians now cannot misuse this act for their own political agenda and punish those who post anything against them or any particular religion. ” 
	 
	Sharing his sentiments, ad man Naresh Gupta, managing partner of Bang in the Middle, noted that the section was regressive in nature. “It was regressive to start with and was against the fundamental right of speech. There are existing laws that govern hate and incite full speech. Let them govern with existing laws. This law was draconian,” he asserted. 
	 
	However, on being questioned about the risk of hate speeches or offensive posts, Gupta quickly added that there should be some regulation, especially when it comes to religious speech. “I don't think we needed 66A for it,” averred Gupta. 
	 
	Apart from the corporate, the internet industry too has welcomed the judgment. The Internet &amp; Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has applauded the decision and called this judgment a momentous victory for the 302 million internet users in India. 
	 “This landmark judgment strengthens the safe harbor provisions for Intermediaries contained in the Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. It is specially helpful to smaller companies like Mouthshut.com, who will now not be harassed by the frivolous and mal-intentioned notices of the take down. Both the judgment together will ensure Internet freedom for users and freedom of doing business on part of Intermediaries; thereby ensuring more innovation and investments in the Indian Internet sector,” said Subho Ray, President, IAMAI. Social media giant <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> which is a part of the association express similar views to that of IAMAI. 
	 
	Corporate lawyer Sameer Chaudhary, Partner, Sastra Legal, suggested that Sec 66 A was primarily aimed to provide for sending offensive messages through a communication device but the wording of the section was loose and vague, allowing a wider reading of the provision, as it included words like 'grossly offensive' causing 'annoyance' 'inconvenience' and others, which are open to subjective interpretation. 
	 
	“However the SC has retained Sec 69 B and guidelines for the implementation of the IT act that allow the govt to block sites or remove content that may cause communal disturbance social disorder or affect relations with a foreign country,” he noted. 
	 
	Interestingly, the terms used in the section above were not defined either in the IT Act, IPC or even the general clauses act and there was no occasion for even the judiciary to interpret them. 
	 
	Image: Indiatimes.com 
	 
	Ajay Brahme, founder of Ajay Brahme &amp; Co too called the law as a gag order. “The section was dictatorial and allowed the agencies to misuse their powers. With the decision to repeal the section, these powers have been curbed. To avoid hate speeches or offensive statements, we have Section 504, 505 of the Indian Penal Code to take care of that”, he said.

A million ‘likes’ from Social media companies
to the SC order on Sec 66 A

<h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div></h2>
In many places attacking the rights of gay people can still be politically useful and popular
IN THE argot of human rights, LGBT means lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender--a catch-all term for sexual minorities. But Yahya Jammeh, president of Gambia for 20 years, has a different reading. "As far as I am concerned," he thundered during a televised speech in February, "LGBT can only stand for leprosy, gonorrhoea, bacteria and tuberculosis." He compared gay people to vermin, and said his government would fight them as it does malaria-bearing mosquitoes, "if not more aggressively".
Gay sex is illegal in Gambia, as it is in 37 of Africa's 54 countries. Documented evidence of a criminal homosexual conspiracy to poison Gambian culture remains elusive. But politicians remain vigilant: in August the government brought in fresh anti-gay legislation. A few weeks later ministers in Chad approved a bill mandating prison sentences of 15 to 20 years for gay sex. Across Africa, and elsewhere in the world, politicians have found gay people a useful scapegoat to distract from corruption or other domestic problems, to shore up conservative constituencies, or to steal a march on political rivals.
The best-known example is Uganda. In 2009 David Bahati, an MP, introduced a bill which would have imposed the death penalty in cases of "aggravated homosexuality", a term that covers gay sex with people under 18 and people with disabilities or HIV. There was a furious response from <keyword id="6356001" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="international">international</keyword> human-rights groups and some governments. The bill lost its harshest provisions, including the death penalty.
 In February, after some apparent hesitation, Yoweri Museveni, Uganda's long-standing president, signed the bill into law. He accused Uganda's critics of acting like latter-day colonialists seeking to impose their values on Africa.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Similar rhetoric had been heard two months earlier when Goodluck Jonathan, the president of Nigeria, signed a bill outlawing displays of same-sex affection, banning groups devoted to gay people's rights and introducing 14-year prison sentences for anyone entering into a gay marriage or other contractual union.
As in Uganda and Gambia, Nigeria already had a law on the books prohibiting gay sex. To the extent that Nigerian gay activists had a legislative agenda, it did not include gay marriage. The UN human-rights chief said of the Nigerian bill that she had rarely seen a law that "in so few paragraphs directly violates so many basic, universal human rights."
Russia has also been targeting gay people. In 2012 Vitaly Milonov, a legislator in St Petersburg, spearheaded the city's adoption of a law banning homosexual "propaganda" to minors. In June 2013 the Duma passed its own version, making "propaganda" about "non-traditional sexual relationships" a crime. Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, finds gay-bashing politically appealing. It runs together various favoured themes: that the West is a corrupting influence best rejected; that tolerance and liberalism are alien to traditional Russian values; that the Orthodox church should be given a more prominent role.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
<keyword id="6358883" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Politics">Politics</keyword> also drove Mr Museveni's decision to sign Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act. Mr Museveni is a wily operator who has occupied the presidency since 1986; he had not previously found it necessary to tighten Uganda's anti-gay provisions. But facing a re-election bid in 2016, he chose to ride the homophobic wave his allies in parliament had created for their own purposes.
Mr Jonathan, meanwhile, is up for re-election next year and has encountered a crisis of confidence over his handling of the Islamists of Boko Haram and his poor domestic record; attacking gay people was a distraction, and one that Nigeria's Muslims and Christians, often daggers drawn, would both support.
An enemy within can be handy for all sorts of leaders, and often more or less any old enemy will do. Some leaders' anti-gay language has a conspiratorial tone that feels borrowed from the anti-Semitic diatribes of another time: gay people are portrayed as in thrall to alien values and particularly dangerous to children.
Recent developments in the West also create exotic targets against which divisive leaders can define themselves without taking on any particularly powerful enemy at home. Nigeria's law would surely not have taken its current form had gay marriage not made such remarkable advances in Europe and America.
None of this would work if there were not deep wells of homophobia to draw on. Over 95% of Ugandans and Nigerians disapprove of homosexuality. Four-fifths of Russians say that they have no gay acquaintances (though many may be wrong to say so).
Such numbers say little about the intensity of anti-gay feeling in each country. They are certainly not evidence of a clamour for legislative attacks on homosexuals; activists often point out that gay people in places like Nigeria were able to lead relatively untroubled, if intensely private, lives before they became political targets. But the feelings they represent offer an opportunity for politicians seeking a quick populist win.
Some argue that the colonial provenance of anti-gay laws, in Africa and elsewhere, shows that these feelings have little genuine cultural basis. Imperial British authorities were certainly not slow to impose such laws on the lands they occupied, and they were often imported directly from home; in several former British colonies such provisions are numbered 377 in the legal code, indicating their common source.
Attitudes in some former British colonies in the Caribbean are particularly distressing; in Jamaica vigilantes harass gay people as police look the other way. The prime minister, Portia Simpson-Miller, has defended gay people and pledged a parliamentary vote of conscience on the country's 19th-century "buggery law", although this has not taken place.
<h3>It's a sin</h3>
To see the colonial legacy as the root of the problem, though, is to go too far. It underrates the energy that post-colonial governments have put into keeping these laws on the books, or adding to them. Governments have not been shy about amending other colonial-era laws they see as no longer needed.
A more contemporary and pernicious Western influence is that of conservative American evangelists who export their anti-gay message to places where it may meet more receptive ears, along with money that makes it all the more attractive. In Uganda's case, they appear directly to have influenced the drafting of legislation.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
Whether domestic or imported, religion matters. A survey of 39 countries by the Pew Research Centre last year found a strong correlation between a country's tolerance for homosexuality and its religiosity. African and Middle Eastern nations are the least tolerant; in several Muslim countries homosexuality is a capital crime. Russia, a relatively godless place, is an exception to the rule.
So, increasingly, is America, though in the opposite direction; it is more tolerant than its levels of religious belief would predict. The greatest exception along those lines is Brazil, where attitudes are broadly tolerant and, as in Argentina and parts of Mexico, gay marriage is now legal. Homophobic violence, though, remains a problem.
None of the new laws seems to have been vigorously enforced. But the climate of hostility and fear their passage generates can make life unpleasant for gay men and women, and their mere existence presents opportunities for extortion and blackmail. In 2011 David Kato, a prominent Ugandan campaigner for gay people's rights, was murdered after a tabloid newspaper published his picture, along with those of 99 other homosexuals, under the headline "Hang them!" Homophobic attacks rose tenfold in Uganda after the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, according to a local group. Gay people in Nigeria have been set upon by mobs.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The simultaneous advance of gay rights in the developed world and its retreat in some other places throws up difficult dilemmas for the West. When gay people's rights are respected at home it is hard to justify turning a blind eye to hideous abuses abroad, particularly in countries with budgets propped up by foreign aid. Yet shout too loudly and you become vulnerable to Mr Museveni's charge of neo-colonialism--and you may jeopardise the safety of the men and women you seek to help.
 America has taken the most hawkish approach. In 2011 Barack Obama's administration issued a memo formally integrating the promotion of gay people's rights into its diplomacy, including in this the setting of foreign-aid policy. After the Ugandan law was passed America cancelled joint military drills, cut aid and applied travel bans. Some other Western countries followed suit, as did the World Bank. The hard line triggered harsh reactions in some African countries. The European Union has taken a softer approach, finding it more productive to work the phones, exert quiet influence and avoid celebrating victories.
<h3>Domino dancing</h3>
Optimists think that, one way or another, outsiders can make a difference. On August 1st Uganda's Constitutional Court overturned the Anti-Homosexuality Act, ruling that there was no quorum in the parliament when it passed the bill in December 2013. What drove the decision--an unusually quick one, by the court's standards--remains unclear.
Anti-gay campaigners accused Mr Museveni of leaning on the court to overturn the law, a few days before he was due to fly, along with dozens of other African leaders, to Washington for an America-Africa summit. If so, it might well be because he faced pressure. Even before the ruling Mr Museveni had begun to waver; in July his government pleaded that the law had been "misinterpreted" by outsiders.
The technical nature of the court's ruling did not quell activists' jubilation. Campaigners in court cheered and draped themselves in a huge rainbow flag. A few days later a few dozen campaigners held a celebration on the shores of Lake Victoria. Remarkably, local police provided them with an element of security. Some MPs want to introduce a new anti-gay bill into parliament.
Yet this week Mr Museveni appeared to warn against such a move. In a long, eccentric article in a Ugandan news weekly, he suggested that a new law could endanger Uganda's trade relationships because "the homosexual lobby can intimidate potential buyers".
If outside pressure had some effect on Mr Museveni--he says it did not--it does not mean it will work more widely. Long a "donor darling", and more recently a military partner of the United States, Uganda has strong links with Western governments. European and American officials were in constant contact with Mr Museveni's government behind the scenes after the law was passed; the public pressure brought to bear on Uganda was only half the story.
Nigeria, a far larger economy with less dependence on aid, is a different case. And as for Russia, Western attacks only play into Mr Putin's hands. Campaigners found it more useful to run a celebrity-led pro-gay campaign around the Sochi Winter Olympics earlier this year than to attack the country's laws head-on.
Moreover, says Kevin Watkins, head of the Overseas Development Institute, a London-based think-tank, even in countries that do receive aid, "conditionality"--tying funds to particular policies--tends not to work. He and others point out that advancing gay people's rights has always been a domestic civil-rights phenomenon. Rather than withholding aid, they argue, better for Westerners to support grassroots organisations which agitate for change.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
<h3>Left to their own devices</h3>
Well-known international human-rights groups devote as much attention to the quiet cultivation of links with local activists as they do to public denunciations of laws they disagree with. The advance of democracy can help insofar as it creates space for civil-society groups and strengthens independent institutions like judiciaries; but democracy can also facilitate demagoguery. One observer points out that anti-gay bills have failed to get far in Ethiopia and Rwanda, two authoritarian states, while becoming law in the messy semi-democracies of Nigeria and Uganda.
Westerners can help in other ways, too. Asylum courts have not always taken the most enlightened approach to applications from gay people. In recent years European and British judges have ruled that sexual orientation may be considered a ground for asylum if the applicant can demonstrate a convincing fear of persecution. This is not always easy in countries where suppressing one's sexuality may be the only way to guarantee personal safety.
The other way in which people in the West might make a difference is available only to a few--gay celebrities who obscure this aspect of their lives. With popular culture ever more global, an increase in the number of openly gay football heroes or Hollywood stars could have an effect.
The dearth of such figures suggests that, for all the progress that has been made in respecting the rights of gay people in the rich world, there is still a worry that in some careers being openly gay will not work. The wells of homophobia on which populist politicians can draw in Africa and elsewhere seem not to have dried up quite as much as people might like to believe.
There are large parts of the world where the rights of gay people are not, at present, a political punchbag. China is not a particularly gay-friendly place; until 1997 homosexuality was illegal, and until 2001 it was officially considered a mental illness.
Yet the issue has not been heavily politicised, and in cities gay life is far easier than it was. A court recently heard a case brought by activists against a clinic that offered "gay-conversion" therapy. In Hunan province a 19-year-old caused a stir when he challenged the provincial authority's decision not to allow him to register an organisation devoted to gay people's rights.
In India the past decade has brought considerable change. The first national magazine for gay people, Pink Pages, was launched in 2009. Gay-pride marches, if not necessarily very large ones, are a common sight in big cities. Bollywood has produced sympathetic films.
Yet even if it is becoming slightly easier among India's elite to be openly gay, almost no one in public life dares declare it. And the legal position for homosexuals is in flux. In July 2009 a high court ruled that the ban on "carnal intercourse against the order of nature" in the penal code violated India's constitution, a ruling which in effect decriminalised gay sex.
In December 2013 two Supreme Court judges overturned the ruling. They said that parliament could pass a law to legalise gay sex; at the moment, that looks unlikely. Other straws in the wind suggest that India's laws could become less gay-friendly. Adoption by gay parents is not banned (adoption rules make no reference to sexuality), but on August 6th the national cabinet reportedly decided to block it, perhaps because of pressure from Hindu nationalist groups.
Across South-East Asia, meanwhile, tolerance varies markedly. Religion is partly behind that: homosexuality is legal in Indonesia except for Aceh, a conservative Muslim state. In Brunei, which has begun to implement a sharia-based penal code, "sodomy" is punishable by stoning to death. Malaysia and Singapore both retain colonial-era prohibitions on sex between men, though with varying degrees of punishment: fines, imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping in Malaysia; imprisonment for up to two years in Singapore.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>
Though poor, conservative and the possessor of a shameful record on human rights more generally, Vietnam offers a counter-example. Hanoi, the capital, has hosted gay-pride parades since 2012. Bills to legalise same-sex marriage nearly passed this year in both Vietnam and Thailand, which has long been far more tolerant of transgender people than the West has. Singapore offers an example of another sort. Though gay men remain in a precarious legal position, the country's gay-pride event, Pink Dot, has grown in each of its six years of existence: this June it drew a record crowd of 26,000.
As the South-East Asian experience demonstrates, a country's laws on homosexuality do not always predict the degree of freedom granted to gay men and women. Cameroon has passed no anti-gay legislation in recent years, and has thus largely escaped the opprobrium of Western governments and campaigners. But it prosecutes the laws on its books with particular vigour: arrests have been made on the basis of text messages and clothing choices.
<h3>Love comes quickly</h3>
In most Western countries it was only after other social battles had been won that gay people began to be tolerated and their legal rights secured. And some Westerners have already forgotten how recently those changes came about. Less than 50 years ago gay sex, let alone marriage, was illegal over broad swathes of the now comparatively enlightened world (see map). It was only ten years ago that America's Republicans made use of votes on gay marriage to help them win elections by rousing social conservatives (some Democrats now do the same thing in the opposite direction).
In the end gay people in the developing world will probably win their rights as they did in the West. Civil-society organisations, enlightened political and judicial leadership, and the advance of the liberal idea that the state has no business regulating the harmless activities of adults will all play a role.
Most powerful, though, is likely to be people's discovery that they have perfectly decent gay friends, neighbours, even relatives. The most pernicious thing about institutionalised homophobia and legal repression is that they make this realisation so hard. Once the wall begins to crack, though, it can quickly come tumbling down.
Click <a href="http://www.store.eiu.com">here</a> to subscribe to The Economist

You Searched For "British era Indian Penal Code" and got 12 results

New criminals laws will allow citizens to lodge police complaints online, file FIR from any jurisdiction

Ankush Banerjee

CBI to investigate the misuse of Indian user data by Cambridge Analytica

Prabhjote Gill

Section 377 verdict: What’s next for India?

Prabhjote Gill

The Supreme Court of India is veering towards legalizing gay sex

Kavita Majumdar

Indian lawyers who fought the country’s battle for LGBT rights among Times’ 100 most influential people in the world

BI India Bureau

Read The Beautiful Essay On Love By An Indian Author Whose Sexuality Has Been Outlawed

Adam Taylor

No room for gays, declares India’s army chief four months after landmark verdict

BI India Bureau

Shameful! India is the ‘World’s Slave Capital’

Anushree Singh

Section 377 Verdict: India’s top court decriminalises homosexuality in landmark verdict

BI India Bureau

A million ‘likes’ from Social media companies to the SC order on Sec 66 A

Purba Das

World politics: Tainting love

The Economist

Full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's first address to the Parliament as the 17th Lok Sabha gets underway

BI India Bureau

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides