Government requests SC to involve states and UTs in same-sex marriage petitions

New Delhi, Apr 19 : On April 19, the Centre submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, urging that all states and Union Territories be made parties to the pleas seeking legal validation for same-sex marriages. The Centre’s affidavit stated that any decision on the issue without obtaining their view would render the present “adversarial exercise incomplete and truncated.” It added that the framers of the Constitution have specifically provided for a separate entry in the Concurrent List, which is a part of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The Centre has issued a letter on April 18 to all states inviting comments and views on the issue raised in these petitions. The Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, requested a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud to make states a party to the proceedings. The Centre said that it is clear that the rights of the states, especially the right to legislate on the subject, will be affected by any decision on the issue. It also requested that all states and Union Territories be made a party to the present proceedings and their respective stance be taken on record.