Gatekeeping Love and Law: Civil Rights for the Non-Conforming

Without the grant of legal status to same-sex marriages in India, much has been left unsaid for other civil liberties that come with marital status. This paper breaks down the current legal frameworks supporting the institution of Marriage and Family laws in India. It presents the need for reform and analyses the roadblocks to such changes in legislative structures. While also marking the scope and grounds of inclusivity, the paper presents possible paths to reform. It further notes how these laws (or lack thereof) impact realms of civil liberties and other legal provisions such as regulation of inheritance and succession for such couples.