▁of ▁the ▁Indian ▁Pen al ▁Code ▁( IP C ) ▁d ating ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 1 , ▁made ▁hom osex ual ▁sex ▁pun ish able ▁by ▁law ▁and ▁carried ▁a ▁life ▁sentence . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁High ▁Court ▁of ▁Del hi ▁found ▁the ▁law ▁un const itution al , ▁effectively ▁invalid ating ▁the ▁ban . ▁Four ▁years ▁later , ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁revers ed ▁the ▁lower ▁court ' s ▁decision , ▁rest oring ▁the ▁stat ute ▁while ▁leaving ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁Lok ▁Sab ha ▁to ▁am end ▁the ▁law . ▁Since ▁re - c riminal isation , ▁several ▁polit icians , ▁including ▁former ▁External ▁Affairs ▁Minister ▁Sh ashi ▁Th aro or ▁ ▁and ▁B har ati ya ▁Jan ata ▁Party ▁Fin ance ▁Minister ▁Ar un ▁J ait ley ▁op ined ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁legal ▁dec riminal isation . ▁ ▁J ait ley ▁opinion ated ▁to ▁re cons ider ▁jud g ement ▁on ▁hom osex ual ity ▁by ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁at ▁Times ▁Liter ature ▁ ▁Festival ▁in ▁M umb ai . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁December , ▁Az am ▁Khan , ▁a ▁Muslim ▁senior ▁politician ▁of ▁the ▁Sam aj w adi ▁Party ▁and ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁U tt ar ▁Pr adesh ▁Legisl ative ▁Assembly , ▁respond ed ▁to ▁J ait ley ' s ▁speech ▁by ▁saying ▁that ▁Ras ht ri ya ▁S way am se v