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‘You are brazenly living together… what privacy is being invaded’: Uttarakhand HC while hearing plea against UCC

The court was hearing a petition by a 23-year-old man, represented by advocate Abhijay Negi.

When the petitioner said newspapers were publishing reports about live-in relationships, the CJ asked for the materials to be placed before the court if there have been any names published by media outlets. (File photo)

Hearing a writ petition challenging the UCC provisions governing live-in relationships, the Uttarakhand High Court on Monday observed: “…you are brazenly living together without there being a marriage… What is the privacy that is being invaded?”

The court was hearing a petition by a 23-year-old man, represented by advocate Abhijay Negi.

The petitioner argued that these provisions of the UCC would “institutionalise” gossip. However, Chief Justice G Narendar said, “What is the secret? Both of you are living together – neighbours know them, society knows them. Where is the secrecy you are talking about? …Are you living secretly? …in some secluded cave? You are living amongst the civil society, you are brazenly living together without there being a marriage and what is the secret? What is the privacy that is being invaded?”

When the advocate said his client’s privacy was in jeopardy, the CJ asked him to approach the court in case there is any action against him in this regard.

The court tagged the petition with others challenging the UCC. The state has been asked to respond to the petitions and the next hearing is listed on April 1.

Earlier, while hearing the petition of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, moved by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, the CJ had said that if any prosecution was launched under the UCC, the affected individuals could approach the High Court. Sibal had sought a stay on the law.

Aiswarya Raj

Aiswarya Raj is a Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, one of India's most respected media houses, specialising in in-depth coverage of Uttarakhand and the Himalayan region. Her work focuses on delivering essential, ground-up reporting across complex regional issues. Aiswarya brings significant journalistic experience to her role, having started her career at The Indian Express as a Sub-Editor with the Delhi city team. She subsequently developed her reporting expertise by covering Gurugram and its neighboring districts before transitioning to her current focus. She is an accomplished alumna of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ) and the University of Kerala. Her reporting is characterized by a commitment to narrative journalism, prioritising the human element and verified facts behind critical events. Aiswarya’s beats demonstrate deep expertise in state politics, law enforcement investigations (e.g., paper leak cases, international cyber scams), human-wildlife conflict, environmental disasters, and socio-economic matters affecting local communities. This specific, sustained focus on critical regional news provides the necessary foundation for high trustworthiness and authoritativeness on topics concerning Uttarakhand. ... Read More

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