Allahabad High Court
KRISHNA MURARI AND ANOTHERversusSTATE OF U.P. AND 3 OTHERS
- Decided
- Bench
- GAUTAM CHOWDHARY
Holding
Adult individuals are at liberty to live together and no person may interfere with their peaceful cohabitation, with police protection to be provided as directed.
Summary
The petitioners, both adults, filed a writ petition seeking a mandamus directing the respondents not to interfere with their peaceful married life and to obtain police protection against threats from family members. They submitted proof of age (high school marksheet and Aadhar) and asserted that their marriage was consensual and that they had applied for registration. The Court noted that Supreme Court jurisprudence holds that adult individuals may cohabit of their own free will and that no one, including parents, may impose restrictions. Accordingly, the Court ordered that no person shall interfere with the petitioners' living together and directed the Superintendent of Police to provide immediate protection upon presentation of the order. The Court also conditioned the protection on the petitioners registering their marriage within two months, after which the order would lapse if registration was not completed. No determination was made regarding the validity of the marriage itself.
Issues considered
- Whether a writ of mandamus can be issued to prevent interference in the consensual cohabitation of adult petitioners.
- Whether the Court can direct police protection for the petitioners against threats from family members.
- Whether the petitioners are required to register their marriage within a stipulated period for the protection order to remain in force.
Subjects
- adult consent
- cohabitation
- personal liberty
- mandamus
- protection order
- marriage registration
- family interference
Judgment
HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
WRIT - C No. - 17974 of 2026
Krishna Murari And Another
.....Petitioner(s)
Versus
State Of U.P. And 3 Others
.....Respondent(s)
Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Deepanshu Jadon
Counsel for Respondent(s) : C.S.C.
Court No. - 75
HON'BLE DR. GAUTAM CHOWDHARY, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and learned standing counsel
for the State.
2. By means of the present petition, the petitioners are seeking for
issuance of a writ of mandamus directing the respondents not to interfere
in the peaceful married life of the petitioners as husband and wife and
further direction has also been sought for the authorities concerned to
provide protection to the petitioners.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioners has submitted that the petitioners
are major and to demonstrate that the petitioners are major, the petitioner
no.1 has filed her High School Marksheet, whereas the petitioner no.2 has
brought on record his Aadhar Card. They have solemnised marriage out
of their own free will and consent without any coercion and are living
together as married couple. Further, it is stated that private respondent and
other family members have got annoyed and there is serious danger to
their lives as they are being threatened and harassed. It is further stated
that the petitioners have already applied for registration of their marriage
The averments made in the petition are supported by the joint affidavits of
the petitioners.
4. 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 her family. In case, this
Court does not grant them protection, their lives may be endangered.
5. Although notices have been issued to private opposite party as well
interim protection has been granted by the co-ordinate of this Court but in
view of the order proposed to be passed, no useful purpose would be
served in keeping the petition merely to give audience to the private
opposite party.
WRIC No. 17974 of 2026
2
6. Accordingly, 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.
7. 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 534. The Supreme
Court in Gian Devi (supra) has held as under:
"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."
8. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court is
of the opinion 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, i.e. respondent
no.2 alongwith a certified copy of this order who shall provide immediate
protection to the petitioners.
9. 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/her
to file a recall application for recall of this order.
10. As registration of marriage is compulsory vide decision of the
Supreme Court reported in (2006) 2 SCC 578 and (2008) 1 SCC 180
Seema (Smt.) Vs. Ashwani Kumar, the petitioners undertake to get their
marriage registered within a period of two months and if the petitioners
could not get their marriage registered within the stipulated period herein
above, the protection granted under this order shall stand automatically
vacated.
WRIC No. 17974 of 2026
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11. 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.
12. With the aforesaid observations, the writ petition is accordingly
disposed of. No order as to costs.
(Dr. Gautam Chowdhary,J.)
September 8, 2026
S.Ali
Digitally signed by :-
SHAUKAT ALI
High Court of Judicature at Allahabad
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