Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 2: Even as the question of enforcing law against religious conversions is being hotly debated in the state, the state high court has opined that it is left to the discretion and choice of the adults to marry the persons of their choice. It stated that this fundamental right cannot be snatched away in the name of castes and religions.

The division bench of the high court comprising Justice S Sujata and Justice Shankar Mugdam expressed this opinion when hearing a Habeas corpus petition filed by a youth belonging to another religion, seeking instructions to the police to produce the lady with whom he is in love with, before the court. He said that his lover has been kept under illegal confinement.

Karnataka high court (file photo)

The lady, who had secured her engineering degree, had married four years back. She was working at Manyata Techpark here. A year ago, she had obtained divorce form her husband and had started to stay with her parents thereafter. During this period, she fell in love with a colleague. When she raised the topic of marrying this man, her parents had opposed the alliance, it is said.

At the request of the youth, the court had instructed Chandra Layout police to produce the lady before the court. At that time, the lady told the court that her parents were not agreeing for her marriage with her colleague for the reason that he belongs to another religion. The court disposed the petition by observing that the lady is capable of taking decisions of her life on her own.