PRAYAGRAJ: The Allahabad High Court has ruled that couples who marry against their parents’ wishes cannot claim police protection as a right unless there is a genuine threat to their lives or liberty. Justice Saurabh Srivastava stated that such couples must “learn to support each other and face society” while rejecting a plea by Shreya Kesarwani and her husband, who sought police protection and a directive to prevent their families from interfering in their marital life.
The court clarified in its April 4 ruling that police and the judiciary would intervene only if the couple faced a real threat, or if any individual misbehaved or physically assaulted them. However, in this case, the bench found no substantial threat to the petitioners’ lives. “There is no evidence suggesting that the petitioners’ relatives intend to cause them physical or emotional harm,” the court stated, noting that the couple had not reported any threats or misconduct by their families to the police.
The court also referred to a Supreme Court ruling, emphasizing that courts are not meant to offer protection to individuals who have simply fled to marry of their own accord. “If the police identify a genuine threat, they will take appropriate action according to the law,” Justice Srivastava added, noting that the petitioners had previously approached the Chitrakoot SP for assistance.
Key Highlights:
- The Allahabad High Court ruled that couples marrying against their parents’ wishes cannot demand police protection as a right unless there is a genuine threat to their lives or liberty.
- Justice Saurabh Srivastava stressed that couples should learn to face societal challenges without relying on the court for protection.
- The court clarified that protection would only be granted in cases of real threats, but Shreya Kesarwani and her husband did not provide evidence of any serious danger from their families.
