Top court refers petition on gay sex to a bigger bench

India's Supreme Court referred a petition to make homosexuality legal to a five-judge bench on Tuesday, a lawyer for a gay rights group said.

The decision offered a ray of hope to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community that has faced persecution after the world's largest democracy in December 2013 reinstated a colonial-era law banning gay sex.

"It is definitely a step forward," lawyer Anand Grover said as activists gathered outside the courtroom cheered.