Section 377: Indian Psychiatric Society says homosexuality not a psychiatric disorder

The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has said "homosexuality is not a psychiatric disorder".

"This is in line with the position of the American Psychiatric Association and the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization which removed homosexuality from the list of psychiatric disorders in 1973 and 1992 respectively," the IPS said in a statement.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court began hearing a clutch of petitions asking for the removal of Section 377 — which says homosexuality is a crime — from the law books.

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Section 377 had been struck down by the Delhi High Court in 2009. The court called it "unconstitutional".

But the judgement was set aside by the Supreme Court in 2013, which said the onus to change the law lay with Parliament.

In January this year, the country's top court agreed to hear a clutch of petitions which said the law had led to an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

“The IPS recognises same sex sexuality as a normal variant of human sexuality much like heterosexuality and bisexuality," the IPS said in its statement.

"There is no scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be altered by any treatment and that any such attempts may, in fact, lead to low self-esteem and stigmatisation of the person," it added.

The Indian Psychiatric Society added that it "further supports decriminalisation of homosexual behaviour."