- (1.) Heard learned counsel for the petitioners and Sri Mukesh Kumar Pandey, learned Standing Counsel for the State respondents.
(2.) By means of the present writ petition, the petitioners have prayed for a writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents not to interfere in their peaceful marital life and also for a direction to provide protection. Petitioners' apprehension is that since they have solemnized an inter-caste marriage, being major against the approval of family members, hence on account of this marriage, private respondents who are family members of petitioners have threatened them of dire consequences. It is further submitted that both the petitioners being major are capable of taking the decision relating to their lives and to perform their marriage and could not be restrained from contracting an intercaste marriage. He further submits that this is their first marriage. It is further asserted that no FIR has been registered against them in respect of the same and that their marriage was solemnized with their free consent without duress on any party. It is further alleged that petitioners are being threatened and harassed by respondents for reason of having thus got married.
(3.) In Lata Singh vs. State of UP 2006 Cr.L.J. 3309, while dealing with a case of harassment by the parents of the boy and girl, who had entered into inter-caste marriage, Hon'ble Supreme Court has issued directions to the Administration/Police authorities throughout the country in the following terms:- "This is a free and democratic country, and once a person becomes a major he or she can marry whosoever he/she likes. If the parents of the boy or girl do not approve of such inter-caste or inter-religious marriage the maximum they can do is that they can cut off social relations with the son or the daughter, but they cannot give threats or commit or instigate acts of violence and cannot harass the person who undergoes such inter-caste or inter- religious marriage. We, therefore, direct that the administration/police authorities throughout the country will see to it that if any boy or girl who is a major undergoes inter-caste or inter-religious marriage with a woman or man who is a major, the couple are not harassed by any one nor subjected to threats or acts of violence, and any one who gives such threats or harasses or commits acts of violence either himself or at his instigation, is taken to task by instituting criminal proceedings by the police against such persons and further stern action is taken against such persons as provided by law." ;