-The United Nations The United Nations human rights chief today voiced her disappointment at the re-criminalization of consensual same-sex relationships in India, calling it "a significant step backwards" for the country. In a decision announced yesterday, the Supreme Court upheld a colonial-era law, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which provides for the punishment of those found guilty of "unnatural offences." "Criminalising private, consensual same-sex sexual conduct violates the rights to privacy...

-The Hindustan Times Coming down hard on the Uttar Pradesh government over reports that 40 children had died in its relief camps in riot-torn Muzaffarnagar, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed it to take immediate steps to ensure there were no such deaths in future, especially with winter setting in. Hindustan Times had recently, in a series of ground reports, written about sufferings and deaths in the relief camps, set up after...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: The Supreme Court order upholding a 153-year-old law that effectively criminalises gay sex has ignored scientific evidence that homosexuality is not deviant in any sense, but merely a variation in human sexual behaviour, experts and lawyers have said. The court has virtually "brushed aside" submissions by medical experts that homosexuality is not a mental health disorder and should not be viewed as a criminal activity, said lawyers...

-PTI GANDHINAGAR: Retired Gujarat high court judge DP Buch was on Wednesday sworn in as the state's fourth Lokayukta, a post that lay vacant for a decade and over which chief minister Narendra Modi and governor Kamla Beniwal were on a collision course for three years. Justice Buch(retd) was sworn in as the anti-corruption ombudsman at a function in Raj Bhavan by governor Beniwal in the presence of Modi and assembly Speaker...

-The Telegraph In a rare alliance, Hindu, Muslim and Christian leaders today spoke in one voice - to welcome the Supreme Court verdict upholding a law that criminalises gay sex. "Homosexuality represents a threat to traditional Indian culture. We are very happy with the verdict as homosexuality is a mental disorder and it is against our rich culture," said Zafaryab Jilani, member of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board. VHP general secretary Champak...