Uttarakhand HC grants protection to inter-faith live-in couple

Dehradun, July 19 (IANS) In one of the first cases after the passage of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) law, the Uttarakhand High Court has disposed the writ petition of a live-in couple, over a threat to their lives allegedly from family members because of inter-faith relationship, and granted them police protection.

It has also directed the concerned SHO in Dehradun to provide adequate protection to the petitioners for six weeks to ensure that the live-in couple remains unharmed. After six weeks, threat perception will be evaluated and the police will take action, as it deems necessary.

The court judgment has come as a ‘slap in the face’ for those spreading lies on the UCC law and those who claimed that it was the BJP government’s ‘licence’ to barge into the bedrooms of people.

The judgment shows that live-in couples have full legal sanctity and have access to all rights, as enjoyed by others, as opposed to false claims that the government was meddling in people’s personal lives and stopping people from pursuing live-in relationships, a 21st-century reality.

Notably, the Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government achieved a first of sorts in implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand in February this year.

However, right from the drafting of laws to its implementation, it was met with stiff resistance from the Opposition parties and religious bodies too. While the Congress-led opposition accused the BJP dispensation of intruding into people’s private space, the religious outfits called it a violation of their religious customs and practices.

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami himself went to address the ‘breach of privacy’ under live-in laws, as claimed by many and explained the meticulously chalked out legislation, providing a common law for marriage, divorce, inheritance of property and more.

However, this did little to settle their doubts and misgivings as they kept alleging, “BJP has entered into the bedrooms of people”, citing objections over live-in laws in the UCC. They asserted that the BJP has ‘legalised’ barging into the bedrooms of consenting adults and can also interrogate them whenever it wants.

Now, with the High Court order granting state protection to the live-in couple, this reinforces the UCC’s guidelines and its equal treatment for all citizens.

“It shall be obligatory for partners to a live-in relationship within the state, whether they are residents of Uttarakhand or not, to submit a statement of live-in relationship under sub-section (1) of Section 381 to the Registrar within whose jurisdiction they are so living,” the order said.

Also, If the live-in couple fails to get their relationship registered within one month from the date of entering into such relationship, they shall be liable to punishment under Section 387(1) of the aforesaid Act.