Nisha Verma And Another v. State Of Punjab And Others

CRM No.M-20712 of 2018

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB & HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH.

CRM No.M-20712 of 2018 Date of decision:15.5.2018 Nisha Verma and another ... Petitioners versus State of Punjab and others ... Respondents

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMOL RATTAN SINGH.

Present:

Mr.Lalit Kumar, Advocate, for the petitioners.

...

AMOL RATTAN SINGH, J. (Oral) The petitioners, who are present in the Court, are seeking protection of their lives and liberty at the hands of respondents no.4 to 8, who are stated to be the parents, brothers and brother-in-law of petitioner no.1, on account of the fact that they have married each other of their own free will on 13.5.2018. Photographs of what is stated to be a marriage ceremony have been annexed with the petition. As per copies of the Aadhar Cards issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India to the petitioners, annexed with the petition, (the originals of which have been produced in Court), they are shown to be of legally marriageable age.

(The 'Voter Cards' of the petitioners issued by the Election Commission of India, have also been produced in Court today, wherein their dates of birth are given as 18.8.1996 and 17.10.1995, thereby making them to be above 20 and 21 years of age, respectively). On a specific query put to learned counsel for the petitioners, it has been stated that neither are the petitioners in any prohibited relationship

CRM No.M-20712 of 2018 to each other, nor has any of them been married earlier. He states that he has obtained specific instructions from the petitioners in that regard. Consequently, since protection of life and liberty is a fundamental right of every citizen enshrined in Article 21 of the Constitution of India, without commenting on the validity of the marriage, this petition is disposed of with a direction to respondents no.2 and 3 to ensure that the lives and liberty of the petitioners are not put to any harm or threat at the hands of the aforesaid respondents or at their behest. However, it is made clear that if any of the averments made in the petition is found to be incorrect, specifically with regard to either the petitioners being in any prohibited relationship to each other, or as regards their previous marital status, or with regard to their age, this order shall not be construed to be a bar on any proceedings initiated as per law. 15.5.2018 ( AMOL RATTAN SINGH ) pk JUDGE Whether speaking/reasoned Yes/No Whether Reportable Yes/No