[5] The petitioners include Queerala, a registered community-based organisation representing the Malayali queer community and Raghav PR, a transgender man who claims to have been subjected to involuntary conversion therapy.

The petition was prompted by the rise in reported conversion therapies during the COVID-19 lock down since March, a period that witnessed queer individuals being confined to their homes with unsupportive parents who subsequently took them to health practitioners.

For instance, a young woman's parents compelled her to visit a doctor who suggested hospitalization to examine if her internal organs 'are working' and prescribed medication.

When she pointed out that the Indian Psychiatric Society (Kerala) considers conversion therapy unjustifiable and illegal, the psychiatrist criticized her, asserting that his perspective was grounded in 'science' while labeling her viewpoint as an 'opinion.'

It emphasized that conversion therapies lack scientific evidence, approved treatment protocols, and often result in significant psychological distress and trauma, reinforcing harmful internalized attitudes irreversibly.

[3][4] The submissions acknowledged that queer individuals, who already face vulnerabilities due to stigma, bullying, family, and societal pressures, might seek assistance from mental health professionals.

These issues can be resolved through clinical diagnosis and treatment plans that acknowledge and accept the individual's gender identity or sexual orientation.

[1][2][3][4] Additionally, the bench noted that if the petitioners' allegations of involuntary conversion therapy hold true, it becomes essential to take stringent actions, and accordingly instructed the State Government of Kerala to conduct a thorough investigation.