A Home Away from Home

In a move to provide shelter to couples who apprehend a threat after marrying against the wishes of their parents, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has said that they be provided a safe house

- Shivam Sharma

ON March 10, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while hearing a writ petition of a runaway couple, suggested that both states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh provide safe houses for inter-caste or inter-faith couples who apprehended a threat so that they do not have to approach the court each time.

A single bench of Justice Avneesh Jhingan said: “Number of such petitions are being filed by the couples who performed marriage against the wishes of their parents and relatives. This court is also being approached by the couples stating to be in a live-in relationship.”

In the order, the Court stated that the non-acceptability of inter-caste marriages was a social problem which needs to be dealt with at multifarious levels. Inter-caste is not the only reason for non-acceptability of marriages; there are numerous other socio-economic reasons which are hurdles for young couples selecting life partners.