In its 366-page ruling, the Supreme Court indicated that this was not a question of law that necessitated a five-judge bench ruling. “Hence this issue was to be left for consideration by a numerically smaller bench,” the court said.
Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud in his minority opinion on Tuesday noted Mehta’s assurance that the Central Government will constitute a committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary to “define and elucidate” the scope of entitlements of queer couples in unions.
The five-bench Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, which declined to recognise same-sex marriages, also considered the issue of adoption by non-heterosexual couples.