Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court said that 'no adult youth under the age of 21 can get married, but he can live with a woman of 18 years and above with consent, as he wishes' while giving the verdict on a security plea.
The High Court's observations relate to a May 2018 Supreme Court decision that states that any adult couple can live together without getting married. The statement came out on Tuesday while the court was hearing a case from last week, and has sparked some controversy across the country.
A couple in a live-in relationship in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab had filed a security petition, citing danger from families since they are living together without their families' consent.
Both the boy and the girl are over 18 years of age, but can't get married as according to the Hindu Marriage Act, the minimum legal age of marriage for a boy is 21. The couple's lawyer told the court they feared their family members would kill them and therefore the couple wants to seek protection from the court.
Hearing the case, High Court Justice Harnaresh Singh Gill said that it was the responsibility of the government to protect the life and property of every citizen. "The Constitution of India cannot deprive the petitioner of his fundamental rights as a citizen of India, simply because he is not of marriageable age despite being an adult," he said. Gill directed the Gurdaspur SSP to provide security to the couple.
Also read: High Court refuses security to couple in a live-in relationship
