Image
Australia: Same sex marriage vote could hit a bump. Here's why:
Sydney, Sep 5 (IBNS): Come Sep 12, Australians will take part in a vote to decide whether to legalise same sex marriages or not, but that could all come to an abrupt end.
The Australian High Court, the apex court in the nation has begun hearing a petition challenging the vote on Tuesday.
If it rules in favour of the challenge, the vote will be annulled.
But the government sounds upbeat about a ruling in its favour, thus allowing it to carry on with the election.
In the next two days, starting today, two separate challenges by LGBTQ marriage advocates will be heard by the court.
The challenges were made after many LGBTQ marriage supporters expressed displeasure towards the upcoming elections and want the parliament alone to debate about the issue.
Both the petitions have placed an argument that the funding allocated for the vote is invalid as it wasn't done through a normal parliamentary process.
The government's decision to hold a non-binding postal survey has also been met with severe criticism as supporters have questioned if the body overseeing the vote, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), has the power to do so.
Australian votes are generally overseen by Australian Electoral Commission.
However, if the challenges are not accepted by the apex court, the postal vote will go on from Sep 12- Oct 27.
Results will be declared on Nov 15.
Australia recognises same-sex unions, however, as far as LGBTQ marriages are concerned, it is still illegal down under.
If it rules in favour of the challenge, the vote will be annulled.
But the government sounds upbeat about a ruling in its favour, thus allowing it to carry on with the election.
In the next two days, starting today, two separate challenges by LGBTQ marriage advocates will be heard by the court.
The challenges were made after many LGBTQ marriage supporters expressed displeasure towards the upcoming elections and want the parliament alone to debate about the issue.
Both the petitions have placed an argument that the funding allocated for the vote is invalid as it wasn't done through a normal parliamentary process.
The government's decision to hold a non-binding postal survey has also been met with severe criticism as supporters have questioned if the body overseeing the vote, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), has the power to do so.
Australian votes are generally overseen by Australian Electoral Commission.
However, if the challenges are not accepted by the apex court, the postal vote will go on from Sep 12- Oct 27.
Results will be declared on Nov 15.
Australia recognises same-sex unions, however, as far as LGBTQ marriages are concerned, it is still illegal down under.
Top Headlines
-
News
Bangladesh MP warns of refugee crisis if BJP wins West Bengal polls
May 01, 2026
-
News
Rain, protests, and slogans: TMC-BJP faceoff erupts outside Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium strong room
April 30, 2026
-
News
Bengal polls: Mamata rejects exit poll projections, claims decisive TMC return to power
April 30, 2026
-
News
Operation Sindoor proved terror epicentres are not immune: Rajnath Singh at SCO meet
April 28, 2026
-
News
India, New Zealand seal historic FTA; Piyush Goyal calls it a defining milestone
April 27, 2026
-
News
Engine fire forces SWISS flight to abort in Delhi, 6 injured
April 26, 2026
-
News
Vee Technologies engineering division delivers 3,000th fire truck design for the US
April 24, 2026
-
News
'CM can't put democracy in peril by interfering with probe': SC slams Mamata Banerjee in I-PAC raid case
April 22, 2026
-
News
'India will never bow to any form of terror': PM Modi on Pahalgam terror attack anniversary
April 22, 2026
-
News
'Lots of bombs if talks fail': Trumps warning as Iran ceasefire nears end
April 20, 2026




