LGBT Rights in India and Other SAARC Countries: An Overview.

The Preamble to the Constitution of India grants equal status to all its citizens and assures them social, economic, and political justice. The rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people came into sharp focus in India after the revolutionary judgment dellivered by the Supreme Court in Navtej Singh Johar vs. Union of India. Recognition of transgender people as third gender and decriminalization of same-sex relationships are two leading achievements for the LGBT community in India; however, the battle for equal human rights is still not over. This paper discusses the legal status of the LGBT community, in India, the areas where the community still faces discrimination, their status in other SAARC countries, and what needs to be done further in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]