Updated | Taiwan's top court rules in favour of same-sex marriage Sh

Taiwan's constitutional court ruled on Wednesday that same-sex couples have the right to legally marry, the first such ruling in Asia.

The court, known as the Judicial Yuan, said current marriage laws violate the constitutional rights of same-sex couples, giving a period of two years for laws to be amended to allow same-sex marriage.

The constitutional court said that if parliament does not make the change within two years, same-sex couples could register to marry regardless, based on its interpretation.

"The current provisions of the marriage chapter do not allow two persons of the same sex to create a permanent union of an intimate and exclusive nature for the committed purpose of managing a life together. This is obviously a gross legislative flaw," it said in a statement.

The court said the physical and psychological need for permanent unions was "equally essential to homosexuals and heterosexuals, given the importance of the freedom of marriage to the sound development of personality and safeguarding of human dignity".

A panel of 14 grand justices made the ruling. A majority of 10 was required, and only two judges dissented.

Crowds of supporters cheered, hugged and wept upon the annoucment. Momentum has been growing behind the push for equal marriage rights, with Taiwan's president Tsai Ing-wen openly supporting the campaign.

But there has also been anger among conservative groups, who have staged mass rallies against any change in the law.

Wednesday's decision came as the LGBT community faces increasing persecution in the region.