‘Society should introspect when girl forced to marry’: Orissa High Court suggests sensitisation programme for parents

The court added that we respect the decision of a major girl.

Findings

• When a girl is not ready for marriage, giving her in marriage by using extraneous force is not conducive to a healthy society.
• A time has come when the sensitisation programme should be conducted by the administration, eradicating any sense of imposing their own decision on the children by the parents.
• Since the girl has already been produced physically before us, we do not think that any purpose would be subserved in keeping the instant writ petition pending.
• The authorities were directed to ensure the smooth return of the girl to her respective place and shall also see that no interference and/or obstruction is created from any corner, including the parents and the so-called husband of the said girl.
• The police shall ensure the safety and security of the said girl at her place of abode and shall immediately take steps in the event any incident is reported to them.

Background

• Following the court order of December 9 last year, the local police presented the girl before the court, who allegedly went missing from her matrimonial home.
• The father of the girl filed the habeas corpus plea in the high court in December last year after the police complaint for a missing person and alleged police for inaction and for an apathetic attitude for not tracing out his daughter.
• After the court order, the additional government advocate submitted that he investigating officer, after finding out the mobile number of the said missing girl with the help of cyber cell, made a contact with her, where she disclosed that she has gone another city as per her own wish and did not intend to return to her parental house as well as the in-laws house.
• He further submitted that she disclosed her discordance with the said forcible marriage and is happily living there, having been gainfully employed in a private company.
• The court then directed the police to produce the girl before the court on the next date and provide all adequate protection to her, and shall not allow anybody to meet unless she wishes.