New Delhi, September 6: The Supreme Court on Thursday held Section 377 Unconstitutional, decriminalising homosexuality. The Section of the IPC was partially scrapped by the apex court today. The historic verdict was pronounced by a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra and comprises of Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra. All Four opinions by four judges in separate judgements were concurring, said CJI Dipak Misra while pronouncing the judgement. Justice Khanwilkar did not reportedly pen a separate judgment.  Follow Live updates on the Section 377 Verdict coverage

While reading out his judgement, CJI Dipak Misra said, "No one can escape who they are." "No one can escape from their individualism. Society is now better for individualism. In the present case, our deliberations will be on various spectrums," he observed. He said that criminalising carnal sex is irrational. “I am what I am. So take me as I am," CJI Dipak Misra said citing John Mills. Highlights of the historic Supreme Court verdict

"Section 377 of the IPC insofar as it criminalises consensual sexual acts between man and man, man and woman or woman and woman is unconstitutional and struck down. Sex with animal will, however, remain criminal," said the judgment.

Justice Rohinton Nariman, while reading out his judgment, said that one feature of his judgment was reliance on Mental Healthcare Act as per which Parliament has recognised that homosexuality is not a mental disorder.

The apex court had in July reserved its verdict on whether to decriminalise Section 377, the archaic law which criminalises homosexuality. The SC asked all the counsel who argued for and against 377 to submit their written submissions.

Section 377 refers to ‘unnatural offences’ and says whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to pay a fine.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 06, 2018 11:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).