Overview

• On May 22, the court held that same-sex couples can form families without legal marriage, citing Supreme Court precedents and established 'chosen family' jurisprudence.
• It ordered the release of a 25-year-old woman from her family's custody in Vellore after she confirmed being confined against her will.
• The bench censured jurisdictional police for failing to act on multiple LGBTQIA+ community complaints and issued a continuing mandamus to ensure protection for the couple.
• Justices expressed discomfort with the term 'queer', arguing it implies non-heterosexual orientations are 'strange or odd' and reaffirmed personal liberty under Article 21.
• Justice G R Swaminathan donated ₹1,000 from his personal funds to cover the couple's conveyance expenses, underscoring judicial support for LGBTQIA+ rights.