The Congress party's Lok Sabha election manifesto outlined several key promises, including the recognition of civil unions for LGBTQIA+ couples, cash transfers for women, employment opportunities for youth, and conducting a caste census. Party leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi unveiled the manifesto.
Of particular note was the Congress's pledge to enact a law recognizing civil unions for LGBTQIA+ couples, though it's important to clarify that civil unions do not equate to marriage. This legal status grants specific rights to queer couples but doesn't hold the same standing in personal law as marriage.Â
Last year, the Supreme Court's Constitution bench, in a split decision, declined to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriage. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, in his dissenting opinion, advocated for a regulatory framework to recognize civil unions for same-sex couples, asserting that discrimination based on sexual orientation violates Article 15 of the Constitution.
The Congress manifesto, titled 'Nyay Patra', also emphasized five 'pillars of justice' and included 25 guarantees, such as:
- Ensuring a right to apprenticeship for diploma holders and graduates under 25 years old.
- Providing legal assurance for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural produce.
- Proposing a constitutional amendment to raise the 50% cap on reservations for SCs, STs, and OBCs.
- Implementing a 10% quota in jobs and educational institutions for economically weaker sections.
- Offering cashless health insurance coverage up to Rs 25 lakh.
- Conducting a nationwide socio-economic and caste census.
- Guaranteeing urban employment through a program for the urban poor in reconstruction efforts.
- Abolishing the Agnipath scheme and reinstating normal recruitment processes in the armed forces.
