NEW DELHI, June 7 (Reuters) - Bhutan’s lower house of parliament voted on Friday to scrap laws criminalising homosexuality, local media and activists said, becoming the latest Asian nation to take steps towards easing restrictions on same-sex relationships. The amendment to the penal code passed the 44-member National Assembly with just a single dissenting vote, the local newspapers Kuensel and The Bhutanese reported.

Scrapping Sections 213 and 214 of the code, criminalising “unnatural sex” - widely read as homosexuality - still needs to be ratified by Bhutan’s upper house, the National Council, to become law. Rights groups are confident they have the support of lawmakers there. Read more via Reuters