Delhi High Court orders police protection for live-in couple threatened by family

In a decision dated August 13, Justice Saurabh Banerjee of the Delhi High Court declared that a live-in relationship between consenting adults carries the same legal weight as marriage, prohibiting any external interference. He emphasized that constitutional guarantees cannot be curtailed by caste, creed, or societal morals. The petitioners, both in their thirties, disclosed ongoing threats from the woman's father and brother, who opposed their union.

Despite filing a complaint with the local Station House Officer, no action was taken, prompting the court to order police protection. The judgment highlighted that the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, recognizes such relationships, reinforcing the couple's right to live together without fear.