Section 377 Timeline

TIMELINE OF SECTION 377 OF INDIAN PENAL CODE

Inspector general of the Tihar jail in Delhi, refuses to provide condoms for inmates, saying it would encourage homosexuality

The Delhi high court dismisses the case, saying there is no cause of action and that purely academic issues cannot not be examined by the court

In a landmark judgment, a Delhi high court decides to strike down Section 377

Navtej Singh Johar, an award-winning Bharatanatyam dancer, files a petition in the supreme court challenging section 377

Section 377 was introduced during the British rule of India.

1994

2004

2009

2016

1861

The LGBTQ community suffers a significant blow when the supreme court overturns the Delhi high court’s judgment regarding section 377

Voices Against 377, a coalition of NGOs, joins the petition, while India’s ministry of home affairs files an affidavit against the decriminalisation of homosexuality

The Naz Foundation, a sexual health NGO working with gay men, files a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Delhi high court

In a unanimous verdict, the supreme court decides to scrap section 377 marking a triumphant end to a lengthy struggle for justice.

A document detailing the experiences of gay people in India is released by the AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan (ABVA)

2013

1991

2006

2001

2018

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