Delhi High Court Takes Up Petition for Non-Heterosexual Partner Recognition in Medical Decisions

The Delhi High Court is reviewing a petition that stresses the need for legal recognition of non-heterosexual partners as medical representatives during treatment. Filed by a woman married to her partner in New Zealand, the plea highlights current legal gaps that disadvantage the LGBTQ+ community in medical emergencies.

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the central government following a petition demanding legal acknowledgment of non-heterosexual partners as medical representatives. The petitioner argues that India's existing regulations lack clarity and fail to recognize 'partners in a union' for consent during medical treatments.

Justice Sachin Datta has instructed the government to respond within four weeks. The petition was filed by a woman married to her partner in New Zealand since 2023, challenging the current legal framework that disadvantages non-heterosexual couples in medical emergencies.

The petitioner seeks explicit legal recognition for partners to provide medical consent, pointing out the necessity for the same rights available to heterosexual couples. This lack of recognition is seen as a violation of constitutional rights under the Indian framework.

(With inputs from agencies.)