Jammu & Kashmir High CourtSakina Bano And Anr vs Union Territory Of J&K And Ors on 12 February, 2020S. No. 122\n              HIGH COURT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR\n                         AT JAMMU\n\n                                              WP(C) No. 428/2020\n                                              CM No. 948/2020\n\n\nSakina Bano and anr.                                     ...Petitioner(s)\n\n                          Through :- Mr. Vijeta Parihar, Advocate\n\n                                 v/s\n\nUnion Territory of J&K and ors.                               ...Respondent(s)\n\n                          Through :- Mr. Raman Sharma, AAG\n\n\nCoram:     HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SANJEEV KUMAR, JUDGE\n\n                                 ORDER1.           The petitioners seek a direction to respondents 1 to 3 to provide\n\nthem the police protection as they apprehend danger to their lives from\n\nrespondent nos. 4 and 5. It is submitted that the petitioners are major and out\n\nof their free will they got married. Copy of Nikah Nama has been placed on\n\nrecord. They submit that since they have contracted the marriage against the\n\nwishes of respondent nos. 4 and 5, as such, they are facing harassment at the\n\nhands of respondent Nos. 4 and 5.2.            Learned counsel for the petitioners refers to the decision of the\n\nSupreme Court inLata Singh v. State of U.P. and anr.; 2006 (5) SCC 475,\n\nand submits that in absence of there being any legal impediment, the\n\npetitioners are entitled to marry according to their choice and the official\n\nrespondents are duty bound to protect the life and liberty of the petitioners.3.           Any person having attained the age of majority is entitled to\n\ncontract the marriage as per his/her wishes and the police department is duty2                           WP(C) No. 428/2020bound to protect the life and liberty, if approached. However, it appears that\n\n           the petitioners have not ever approached the official respondents for their\n\n           indulgence in the matter for providing protection to them.4.                  In this view of matter, this petition is disposed of, at this stage,\n\n           by providing that respondents 1 to 3 shall look into the grievance of the\n\n           petitioners for providing them adequate security and to ensure that nobody\n\n           interferes in married life of the petitioners, if the petitioners approach them.\n\n           It is made clear that no opinion has been expressed with regard to the age of\n\n           the petitioners or with regard to the validity of their marriage, and the police\n\n           is free to take a view on the basis of the available material and inquiry. If it\n\n           is found that the parties are major and have married out of their own free\n\n           will and consent, the necessary protection shall be extended to them.\n\n           Disposed of.(SANJEEV KUMAR)\n                                                                                    JUDGE\n\n           Jammu\n           12.02.2020\n           Angita\n\n\n\n\nANGITA DEVI\n2020.02.13 11:13\nI attest to the accuracy and\nintegrity of this document