Inter-faith marriage:HC orders registration under police cover

The Gujarat High Court hasdirected that a woman intending to marry a man from adifferent religion be escorted by police from Junagadh toAhmedabad for the registration of their marriage here afterher parents opposed her decision to tie the knot with him.

On February 8, a division bench of Justices SoniaGokani and Sangeeta K Vishen heard the woman, who isundergoing police training in the state's Junagadh district,through video conference.

After the woman expressed her willingness to marry theMuslim man, the court, while hearing a habeas corpus pleamoved by the man, directed to register their marriage hereunder the Special Marriage Act on February 9, when the one-month notice period for the same lapsed.

When contacted for further details about the marriage,the petitioner's lawyer said the court has kept the matter forfurther hearing on February 12.

The court directed that the woman be brought in apolice vehicle accompanied by a woman cop and an official ofthe district legal services authority.

The woman had taken a transfer from a police trainingcentre in Ahmedabad to Junagadh after her parents objected toher decision to marry the Muslim man.

The court directed that a police woman accompany herin a special vehicle from Junagadh to Ahmedabad, a distance ofaround 300 km, along with an employee of the district legalservices authority.

The deputy commissioner of police, zone 2, ofAhmedabad shall provide necessary protection to the coupleduring the process of registration of marriage, the HC said.

It also wanted to know as to why the woman wasprecluded from having any communication through cell phonewhile undergoing training at Junagadh, when the same ispermitted to others during post training hours.

The court directed the assistant public prosecutor toascertain the same.

The order came after the woman told the HC via videoconference from Junagadh district court that she is undergoingpolice training there after taking a transfer from Karanj inAhmedabad.

The woman said she is keen to marry the petitioner,but is facing opposition from her family and community.

She also narrated how she was one day called at theKaranj police station at 8 pm with the petitioner and wasallowed to go around 3 am the next day.

The woman chose for a transfer to Junagadh afterfeeling there was no other option, as she desires to continuewith her service, she told the court.

The woman is at present undergoing training at thepolice training centre in Junagadh.

During the hearing, she requested the court to permither to travel to Ahmedabad on February 9, since it was thelast day to register their marriage under the Special MarriageAct.

The court in its order noted the petitioner hasensured that as per the woman's wishes, she will be able tocontinue her training after marriage, and his family will notpose any hindrance.