New Delhi, July 10 -- A same-sex couple has challenged a provision of the income tax law that exempts gifts exchanged between spouses from taxation but excludes LGBTQ+ couples from the benefit as their marriages are not legally recognised in India.

The Karnataka High Court has sought a response from the Union government on a petition filed last year by Bengaluru-based software engineers and IIT alumni Anurag and Akhilesh, who have been living together for the past seven years.

Justice B Shyam Prasad issued the notice while hearing the case and now the matter is scheduled for further hearing on July 15, 2026, according to a news report by The Economic Times.

The issue stems from a 15-gram gold bracelet that Akhilesh gifted to Anurag. Th...