COURTESY HT DEC 30

Adult couple can live together: HC
HT Correspondent

letterschd@hindustantimes.com

CHANDIGARH : The right of an adult couple to live together can’t be denied just because the man has not yet attained marriageable age, the Punjab and Haryana high court has ruled.

The bench of Justice Alka Sarin observed that an adult couple has every right to live their lives as they desire within the boundaries of the law.

“The society cannot determine how an individual should live her or his life. The Constitution guarantees every individual the right to life. The freedom to choose one’s partner is an important facet of the right to life. In the present case, the girl’s parents cannot dictate how and with whom she should spend her life since she is adult. Parents cannot compel a child to live life on their terms,” the bench said.

The court directed the Fatehgarh Sahib senior superintendent of police (SSP) to decide on the couple’s petition seeking protection from the family of the woman. The two had approached the court seeking protection of life and liberty, after the SSP allegedly did not act on their complaint against the woman’s parents.

As per the petition filed in the court, the 19-year-old woman and the 20-year-old man wanted to solemnise their marriage.

However, the family members of the woman were allegedly against the match and also assaulted the woman. On December 20, she fled her home and the couple started living together. Later, they approached the police seeking protection.

Currently, the legal age of marriage for women in India is 18, while it is 21 years for men.