Punjab & Haryana HC: Safeguarding Adults in Relationships
The Punjab and Haryana High Court emphasizes the importance of safeguarding adults in live-in relationships from threats, regardless of marital status. However, it upholds statutory regulations by ruling against protecting minors in similar situations. Learn more about this crucial legal stance.
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CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court emphasized that the life and liberty of adults in a live-in relationship, even if they are married to others, must be safeguarded to prevent threats from moral vigilantes or close relatives.
In a related legal matter, the High Court ruled that protecting minors in a live-in relationship—whether one or both individuals are minors—would contradict statutory regulations. The court stated that custody of the minor must be returned to their parents in such situations.
If the court believes there is an imminent threat to the minor's life, it should utilize the provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. The minor may be placed in a children's home or a nari niketan until adulthood," said the High Court division bench, Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sudeepti Sharma.
These orders were issued while the court was hearing a series of petitions regarding whether "the court is obligated to protect two individuals living together, without considering their marital status and other circumstances."
In May 2021, a single bench led by Justice Anil Kshetarpal requested the larger bench to determine if the court should offer protection to two individuals living together when they seek to safeguard their life and liberty, without assessing their marital status.