Allowed

Smt. Pragati Gautam and Another v. State of U.P. and 3 Others

Allahabad HC5 Feb 2021WRIC/3588/2021

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The High Court disposed of a writ petition seeking protection from interference by family members for two adults living together. Relying on Supreme Court precedents, the Court held that major adults have the right to live together without interference. It granted liberty and directed the Superintendent of Police to provide immediate protection if disturbed.

What did the court decide?

Liberty granted to petitioners to live peacefully; direction to Superintendent of Police to provide immediate protection against interference.

Smt. Pragati Gautam and Another Vs… — Constitutional and Fundamental Rights | Allahabad HC (2021)

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Court No. - 37

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Case :- WRIT - C No. - 3588 of 2021

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Petitioner :- Smt. Pragati Gautam And Another Respondent :- State Of U.P. And 3 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Anil Kumar Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C.

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Hon'ble Rajiv Joshi,J.

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Vakalatnama filed today by Dr. Rajesh Tripathi, Advocate on behalf of respondent-4 is taken on record.

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The petitioners have preferred this writ petition for a direction upon the respondents not to interfere in their married life and also for protection of their lives and liberty.

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The petitioners claim that they are adults and living together out of their own freewill. It is stated that for the said reason, the private respondent and his other family members have got annoyed and there is serious danger to the lives of the petitioners as they are being threatened and harassed.

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In support of their age, the petitioner no. 1 as well as petitioner no. 2 has brought on record their High School Marks Sheets, wherein the date of birth of the petitioner no. 1 is shown as 8.12.2002 and that of petitioner no. 2 as 25.05.1996. Thus, it appears from the record that both the petitioners are major. They have also brought on record their marriage registration certificate dated 28.12.2020, copy of which has been appended as annexure-3 to the writ petition.

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The petitioners have averred in the writ petition that they are living as wife and husband. It is stated that they have apprehension that private respondent can eliminate them for the honour of his family. In case this Court does not grant them protection, their lives may be endangered.

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Heard learned counsel for the petitioners, learned Standing Counsel for the State functionaries and Dr. Rajesh Tripathi, learned counsel for the respondent-4. With the consent of learned counsel appearing for the parties, this writ petition is being disposed of finally at this stage in terms of the Rules of the Court.

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The Supreme Court in a long line of decisions has settled the law that where a boy and a girl are major and they are living with their free will, then, nobody including their parents, has authority to interfere with their living together. Reference may be made to the judgements of the Supreme Court in the cases of Gian Devi v. The Superintendent, Nari Niketan, Delhi and others, (1976) 3 SCC 234; Lata Singh v. State of U.P. and another, (2006) 5 SCC 475; and, Bhagwan Dass v. State (NCT of Delhi), (2011) 6 SCC 396 , which have consistently been followed by the Supreme Court and this Court, as well as of this Court in Deepika and another v. State of U.P. and others, 2013 (9) ADJ

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534 . The Supreme Court in Gian Devi (supra) has held as under:

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"7. ... Whatever may be the date of birth of the petitioner, the fact remains that she is at present more than 18 years of age. As the petitioner is sui juris no fetters can be placed upon her choice of the person with whom she is to stay, nor can any restriction be imposed regarding the place where she should stay. The court or the relatives of the petitioner can also not substitute their opinion or preference for that of the petitioner in such a matter."

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Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, I am of the view that the petitioners are at liberty to live together and no person shall be permitted to interfere in their peaceful living. In case any disturbance is caused in the peaceful living of the petitioners, the petitioners shall approach the Superintendent of Police, Hamirpur i.e. the second respondent, with a certified/computerized copy of this order, who shall provide immediate protection to the petitioners.

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A liberty is granted to the private respondent that if the documents brought on the record are fabricated or forged, it will be open to him to file a recall application for recall of this order.

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It is made clear that this Court has not adjudicated upon the alleged marriage of the petitioners and this order in no way expresses opinion about the validity of their marriage.

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With the aforesaid observations, the writ petition stands disposed of.

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Order Date :- 5.2.2021 Noman

Smt. Pragati Gautam and Another v. State of U.P. and 3 Others

Case brief

What is this about?

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Smt. Pragati Gautam and Another v. State of U.P. and 3 Others

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