New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has ruled that consenting adults have a constitutional right to marry each other, and that neither society, the State nor their families can interfere in such a decision.
Justice Saurabh Banerjee, while granting protection to a couple facing threats, held that the right to marry a person of one’s choice is an integral part of personal liberty guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, as well as recognised under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In its order dated February 2, the court observed that since the petitioners were adults and had voluntarily entered into the “sacred bond of marriage,” their decision must be accorded full legal recognition and protection. The court emphasised that marriage is a matter of individual choice and does not require approval from society or family members.
The case pertained to a couple who had solemnised their marriage at an Arya Samaj temple in July 2025. However, the woman’s father opposed the union and allegedly issued threats to the couple, prompting them to seek court protection.
The High Court made it clear that no individual has the right to endanger the life or liberty of consenting adults for exercising their personal choices. It underlined that personal decisions, including marriage, fall within the realm of individual autonomy and must be safeguarded against unlawful interference.
