Kerala HC refuses to separate teen couple in a live-in
In a landmark verdict, Kerala High Court today declined to separate an 18-year-old boy and 19-year-old girl who were in a live-in relationship, saying it cannot close its eyes to the fact that such relationships have become rampant in society. A division bench of justices V Chitambaresh and KP Jyothindranath pronounced the judgment while dismissing a habeas corpus petition filed by the girl's father.
My daughter was in illegal custody of boy: Girl's father
In his petition, the girl's father alleged that his daughter was in the illegal custody of the boy. Both the girl and the boy are Muslims and hail from Alappuzha district. The bench, while considering the fact that she stayed with the boy for quite some time and she is a major, allowed her to continue living with the youth.
Adult couple has right to live together without marriage: SC
The Supreme Court had recently held that an adult couple has the right to live together without marriage, while asserting that a 20-year-old Kerala woman Thushara, whose marriage had been annulled, could choose whom she wanted to live with. The apex court has held that live-in relationships had found a place under the provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005.
Legal age of marriage: For boys 21, for girls 18
The observations came while the apex court was hearing a plea filed by one Nandakumar against a Kerala High Court order annulling his marriage with Thushara on the ground that he had not attained the legal age of marriage. Prohibition of Child Marriage Act states that a girl can't marry before the age of 18, and a boy before 21.
HC granted custody of Thushara to her father
The High Court had also granted the custody of Thushara to her father after noting that she was not Nandakumar's "lawfully wedded" wife. A bench of justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan said their marriage could not said to be "null and void" merely because Nandakumar was less than 21 years of age at the time of marriage.
