Interfaith married couple gets protection from Delhi HC
Dec 16, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 16 : The Delhi High Court has ordered Delhi Police to give protection to a couple, who recently got married and claimed a serious threat from the family members.
The Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh on Wednesday issued notice to the family members of the petitioner girl and other respondents in the matter and fixed January 24, 2022, for further hearing.
The Court also made it clear that if any lapse occurs in the security/protection of the petitioners, the ACP of Ashok Vihar area, and the SHO, Keshav Puram police station, shall be held liable.
Advocate RS Kundu, additional standing counsel for the state, accepting notice for the state, sought some time to file the status report in the matter. He also stated that the requisite protection shall be provided to the petitioners.
Advocate D.K. Santoshi, counsel for the petitioners, submitted that the couple had a love affair and got married at Arya Samaj Mandir, Delhi as per Hindu rites and ceremonies. He further submitted that since this is an inter-religious marriage, there are serious threats to the life and liberty of the petitioners from the family members of the girl's side.
On 11th December, 2021, a family member of the girl thrashed the petitioner severely, the lawyer submitted.
The lawyer informed the court that the girl is educated and is 26 years old and has also completed her graduation. The high school certificate confirms her date of birth. The boy is about 24 years old.
The petition was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India read with Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 for issuance of a writ of Mandamus for direction to Delhi Police to protect the life and liberty of the petitioners from family members.
According to an article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, men and women who have attained the age of majority have the right to marry "without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion".