High Court Defends Personal Liberty Over Forced Interference

The Allahabad High Court quashed an FIR against a couple who married voluntarily, criticizing police for pursuing such cases. The court emphasized respect for personal liberty and adulthood, urging law enforcement to focus on actual crimes rather than consensual unions, and directed the DGP to take corrective action.

The Allahabad High Court recently quashed an FIR lodged against a married couple, highlighting what it described as a misuse of police resources in targeting consensual unions. The court, comprising justices J J Munir and Tarun Saxena, strongly criticized the police's tendency to pursue cases against couples who marry of their own free will.

In a significant ruling, the court stressed the importance of respecting the age of majority and constitutional culture, directing the Uttar Pradesh DGP to initiate remedial measures. Criticism centered on the police's eagerness to register FIRs in consensual marriage cases rather than focusing on other criminal activities.

The court's verdict came as it considered a case involving a complaint from the woman's father against her husband under Section 87 of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita in Saharanpur. The high court emphasized that adults should have the autonomy to decide their personal lives without unwarranted interference.