The Allahabad High Court has ruled that an adult possesses the fundamental right to select a life partner without parental interference, ordering the release of a 26-year-old woman from her father’s custody and permitting her to reside with her husband.
Justice Sandeep Jain issued the ruling on a habeas corpus petition, granting relief to Sonika Chauhan, a resident of Ghaziabad, and allowing her to reunite with her husband, Akbar Khan. The bench also instructed local police authorities to provide the couple with adequate protection and prohibited family members from disrupting their married life.
Chauhan was presented before the court on Tuesday following a state compliance order originally issued on September 8, 2026.
Statements Before The Court
During personal interactions with the bench, Chauhan testified that she is an educated graduate who entered into the marriage with Khan entirely of her own volition. She stated that she intended to live with him and alleged that her father had illegally confined her inside the family home because he opposed the matrimonial alliance.
Khan endorsed Chauhan’s statements before the judge and confirmed his intention to reside with her as husband and wife.
The woman’s father, Lakshman Singh Chauhan, opposed the petition, telling the bench that his daughter was living at home voluntarily and without duress. He claimed that Khan had subjected his daughter to blackmail and coercion.
Protection Of Adult Autonomy
Following submissions from all parties, Justice Jain rejected the father’s objections, reiterating that settled law guarantees every adult citizen the fundamental liberty to choose a partner and direct their own life.
The court underscored that matrimonial and personal choices belong solely to the individual and cannot be subjected to the control or demands of parents or relatives.
