The Gujarat High Court in a recent case, allowed a 19-year-old Hindu girl to live-in with her 20-year-old Muslim boyfriend.
According to Times of India, the ruling came in relation to the case wherein the boy and the girl studied in school together and were in love for a long time. While neither of them want to change their religion, the only option left for them is Special Marriages Act. Though the girl is eligible for that, the boy will have to wait until he is 21.
The decision was taken by a bench comprising Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice Biren Vaishnav who held that though live-in relationships is a trend followed majorly by the metro cities, there is a legal limitation in forcing an adult person of sound mind who doesn’t want to do something against his/her wishes.
“Consequently, we also must recognize that we do not have the power to prevent the girl who is 19 years of age and is of sound mind from exercising her choice and joining the petitioner (her boyfriend), if she so desires”, the bench noted.
The girl, a resident of a remote town, Dhanera in Ahmedabad was taken away by her family in September. The boy then approached the High Court saying that the girl was forcibly taken away without her permission.
Subsequently, Banasakantha police brought the girl in court, where she expressed her wish to marry the boy. The court asked the boy to file an affidavit that he would marry the girl upon turning 21.
(Feature image source: Reuters)