RITU AND ANOTHER vs STATE OF PUNJAB AND OTHERS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH 151 CRWP-5246-2026 Date of Decision: 05.05.2026 Ritu and Another ... Petitioner(s) Versus State of Punjab and others ...Respondent(s) CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JASJIT SINGH BEDI Present: Mr. Geeteshwar Saini, Advocate for the petitioner(s). Mr. Harkanwar Jeet Singh, AAG, Punjab. **** JASJIT SINGH BEDI, J. (Oral) The petitioners have approached this Court for issuance of necessary directions to respondents for protecting their lives and liberties which according to them are at stake because they are in a live-in- relationship. The petitioners claim themselves to be major. However, petitioner No.2/Gagan Deep is not legally eligible to perform marriage being the age of 20 years. According to the copies of the identity/age proofs (Annexures P-1 and P-2), the exact date of birth of petitioner No.1 is 03.08.2007 and the date of birth of the petitioner No.2 is 30.01.2006. The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that a marriage is not a must for providing security to a couple in a ‘live-in- relationship’ because protection qua life and liberty is sacrosanct and stands at the highest pedestal. He has also placed reliance upon or