India on Wednesday joined countries like Iran , Saudi Arabia , China and Pakistan to support a proposal moved by Russia denying staff benefits to gay couples at the United Nations . The move was defeated as 80 votes were polled against it while 43 countries , including India , backed it . Speaking against the proposal , US ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power said : “ We must speak plainly about what Russia tried to do today… diminish the authority of the UN secretary general and export to the UN its domestic hostility to LGBT ( Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual and Transgender ) rights. ” . The UN extended benefits to same sex couples on the basis of laws in their home countries . ( File picture ) India went with the Russian proposal as it was based on its domestic laws on same sex relations . The UN extended benefits to same sex couples on the basis of laws in their home countries . But last year , secretary general Ban Ki-moon had moved a proposal to extend the benefit to all gay couples irrespective of their domestic laws . The Russian envoy at the UN had strongly advocated in favour of extending the domestic laws to respect cultural differences of the members of the world body . This is also perhaps the reason for India to back the Russian proposal . While Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were the other countries on India ’ s side , 37 members abstained and 34 did not vote at all . India ’ s own legal provision on the issue has been subject of much debate . Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was struck down in 2009 only to be revived by the Supreme Court last year . There is one last chance for the gay community to get homosexual acts decriminalised by the Supreme Court . After their review petition against the judgment which made gay sex a crime punishable with life was dismissed on January 28 , 2014 , the activists filed a curative petition before the apex court on April 3 , 2014 which it has decided to hear in an open court . The apex court said the government ’ s indecision and flip-flop on the issue was to be squarely blamed for the situation . The Bench , which ruled that making or changing of a law was the sole prerogative of Parliament , questioned why the government had not acted even 13 years after a Law Commission report sought deletion of the section and there were repeated demands . The court said this proved that the Centre wanted the section to remain in the statute .
India voted to support a proposal by Russia , to deny gay couples working for the UN staff benefits . The move was defeated by 80 votes to 43 .