Indian Army Will Continue to Ban LGBT+ Despite Decriminalisation of Homosexuality

The Head of the Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat, has said they have no plans to allow LGBT+ people to enlist, reports NDTV.

The country decimalised homosexuality earlier last year when the Supreme Court overturned Section 377 of the penal code. Rawat has said, however, that this ruling will have no effect on the operations of the Indian Army.

“We will not allow this to happen in the Army. LGBT issues… in the army, these are not acceptable,” he said during a press conference.

“We will still be dealing with them under various sections of the Army Act. [It] will not be allowed to happen in the Indian Army.

“We are not above the country’s law but when you join the Indian Army, some of the rights and privileges you enjoy are not what we have. Some things are different for us, but we are certainly not above the Supreme Court.

“We will have to see how we take a call, let us also see how it comes into the society, whether it’s accepted or not…I can’t say what will happen two years down the road.”

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