In a significant move affirming personal liberties, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a petition by the parents of a woman seeking criminal proceedings against her partner, whom she had married while allegedly a minor. The bench, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, ruled that the woman was not a minor at the time of her marriage, thereby upholding the High Court’s decision to quash the initial FIR lodged by her parents.
The case came into the spotlight after the parents of the woman failed to recognize her marital union, asserting she had been underage during the marriage and accused her partner of abduction and sexual assault. However, conflicting evidence regarding her date of birth led the Supreme Court to conclude that the woman was indeed of legal age at the time of her marriage.
Chief Justice Khanna emphasized, “You don’t have the right to imprison…You do not accept the relationship of your major child. You treat your child as a chattel. A child is not a chattel,” sternly advising the parents to accept their daughter’s marriage.
Earlier, on August 16, the Madhya Pradesh High Court at Indore had quashed an FIR against a Mahidpur resident accused of kidnapping and assaulting the petitioner’s daughter, taking into account the woman’s consent and her legal age at the time of her marriage. The Supreme Court echoed this sentiment, refusing to overturn the High Court’s decision, signaling a strong stance on respecting the autonomy and consent of adults in personal relationships.
