Adults have full right to choose matrimonial partner – Allahabad High Court

While granting protection to an interfaith couple, the Allahabad High Court has re-affirmed that two adults have the right of choosing who they want to get married to, irrespective of religion. A Division Bench of Justice Deepak Verma and Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta said that “It cannot be disputed that two adults have right of choice of their matrimonial partner irrespective of religion professed by them.” They further mentioned, “As the present petition is a joint petition by the two individuals who claim to be in love with each other and are major, therefore, in our considered opinion, nobody, not even their parents, could object to their relationship.”

The petition was moved by residents of Uttar Pradesh – a Muslim girl and her Hindu partner contending that they are in love with each other and that her father was not agreeing to the marriage. She stated that she feared threat to her as well as her partner’s life. The girl also stated in the petition that she has already filed an application for conversion from Muslim to Hindu. Following this the District Magistrate had called for a report from concerned police station. The Allahabad High Court granted them protection.