India, Oct. 14 -- The Union government has told the Karnataka High Court that same-sex couples in India cannot be granted tax exemptions available to spouses and family members under existing tax laws because doing so will recognise same-sex marital relationships.

The government made the submissions before a bench of Justice B Shyama Prasad on Monday while opposing a plea filed by a same-sex couple seeking a gift-tax exemption available to married couples.

Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General Arvind Kamath, who appeared for the Centre, told the court that the petitioners cannot use the Income Tax (IT) Act to secure a benefit linked to a marital status that the Indian law does not recognise for same-se...