Landmark Supreme Court case · 2018
Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India
Why this case matters
Decriminalised consensual same-sex relations as a matter of equality and dignity.
Connected constitutional articles
Article 14 — Equality before law
The State must treat people equally before the law. It can classify groups for a genuine public reason, but it cannot be arbitrary or personal in who gets the benefit of the law.
Article 15 — Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth
Citizens cannot be shut out of public life only because of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth. Special measures for women, children, and disadvantaged groups are still allowed.
Article 21 — Protection of life and personal liberty
The State cannot take your life or your personal freedom unless it follows a procedure that is fair, not merely written down. Courts have used this article to protect dignity, privacy, livelihood, and humane treatment — far beyond the original one-line text.