Why is it in the news?
- Nepal recently formally registered its first case of same-sex marriage.
- This development makes Nepal the first South Asian nation to recognize and register same-sex marriages.
Constitutional Background
- The Constitution of Nepal, adopted in 2015, explicitly prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
- Nepal’s Supreme Court issued an interim order in June 2023, allowing same-sex couples to register their marriages until a final verdict is reached.
| Scenario in India
· In October 2023, a five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in India declined to legalize same-sex marriage. · The bench ruled that there is no fundamental right to marry, and the matter is left to Parliament to legislate on. |
Global Context
- The Netherlands was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001 by amending its civil marriage law.
- Taiwan is the only other country in Asia to have legalized same-sex marriage, despite conservative societal norms.
