Adult parents entitled to live together even if not married: Allahabad High Court

In a significant observation, the Allahabad High Court has said that adult parents can live together without being married to each other.

A division bench comprising Justices Shekhar B Saraf and Vipin Chandra Dixit gave this ruling on a petition filed by a minor through her biological parents a few days back.

The father and mother of the child hailed from different religions and had been living together since 2018. The petitioner contended that there was a threat to her parents from the erstwhile in-laws of the biological mother.

The biological mother of the child had started living with the biological father after the death of her husband.

‘’In our view, under the Constitutional scheme the parents, who are major, are entitled to live together, even if they have not undergone marriage,’’ the court said.

The parents of the child submitted that the police authorities were not willing to register the first information report against the private respondents and the police authorities time and again are humiliating them when they approach the police station for lodging the first information report.

The court directed the Superintendent of Police, Sambhal to ensure that the first information report be registered at Police Station Chandausi, District Sambhal, if the parents of the child approach the police station.

The SP was also directed to look into whether any security was required to be provided to the child and the parents in accordance with law. The authorities were also directed to act in accordance with the judgements indicated above.