"Entire social fabric of society would get disturbed": HC dismisses plea seeking protection to live-in couple

Counsel for the petitioner says they will challenge the judgment in the Supreme Court.

Punjab and Haryana High Court. File.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed a petition seeking protection to a live-in couple, saying, “if such protection as claimed is granted, the entire social fabric of society would get disturbed”.

The petitioners, a 21-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl from Haryana's Jind district, had approached the court for protection of their ‘life and liberty’ from her relatives as they allegedly faced intimidation from her family since their elopement.

The single bench of Justice Anil Kshetarpal, in the order on May 13, said: “Petitioner no.1 is barely 18 years old whereas petitioner no.2 is 21 years old. They claim to be residing together in a live-in relationship and claim protection of their life and liberty from the relatives of petitioner no.1. In the considered view of this Bench, if such protection as claimed is granted, the entire social fabric of the society would get disturbed. Hence, no ground to grant the protection is made out.”

‘Will move apex court’

Counsel for the petitioner, advocate Vishal Mittal told The Hindu that they would challenge the judgment in the Supreme Court.

“We would be challenging the judgment in Supreme court. The apex court is quite clear on the point that live-in relationship is not an offence and fundamental rights of a person can’t be violated at any cost. The girl is over 18 years and both the boy and the girl hail from Jind,” he said.

In the petition, it has been submitted that relatives of the girl wanted her to marry a boy of their choice. "It has been alleged that her relatives extended threats that if the boy even tried to think about the girl, then they would be eliminated... that’s why the girl found no option but to leave her house and start living with the boy."

The petitioners submitted that such type of relationships "would put an end to the demand of dowry and in such situation, the police concerned should ensure that persons who have entered into a relationship with their sweet will should not be harassed at the instance of parents... and if police failed to take action, the police should be taken to task...”