A US court has struck down a ban on same-sex marriages in the state of California on constitutional grounds, ruling that gays and lesbians have a right to marry.
Vaughn Walker, a US district court chief judge, said on Wednesday that opponents of the voter-approved ban known as Proposition 8 "demonstrated by overwhelming evidence" that it violates due process and equal-protection rights under the US constitution.
"Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license," Walker wrote in the conclusion of his 136-page opinion.
The ruling handed a key victory to gay rights advocates in a politically-charged decision that is expected to reach the US Supreme Court.