Andhra Pradesh High Court. file
The Andhra Pradesh High Court upheld the right of lesbian couples to live together, affirming their freedom to choose their partners.
Judge R. Raghunandan Rao and K. A bench of Maheshwara Rao was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Ms. Kavitha, a woman, alleging that her friend, Ms. Lalita, was being held against her will by her father. Narasipatnam residence.
The court on Tuesday (Dec 17, 2024) directed Ms Lalitha’s parents not to interfere in the couple’s relationship, insisting that their daughter is a grown-up and can make her own decisions.
The couple has been “living together” in Vijayawada for the past one year.
Earlier, based on a missing complaint filed by Ms. Kavita, the police searched for Ms. Laitha at her father’s house and rescued her. She was then kept in a welfare home for 15 days, but she told the police that she was a major and wanted to live with her partner.
Ms Lalitha had also filed a complaint against her father in September, alleging that her parents abused her over relationship and other issues.
After police intervention, Ms Lalitha returned to Vijayawada and started going to work, often visiting her friend.
However, Ms. Lalita’s father again came to her place and forcibly took her daughter away in the car. He kept her in his custody “unlawfully”, Ms Kavita alleged in her habeas corpus petition.
The father also lodged a complaint with the police saying that his daughter was abducted by Ms. Kavita and her family members.
Ms. Kavita’s lawyer Jada Shravan Kumar pointed to the earlier judgment of the Supreme Court and argued that the detainee had expressed his express consent to live with the petitioner in the common house of the petitioner’s parents and that he never wanted to return to his parents and others. Family members.
Mr. Kumar also informed the court that Ms. Lalita had also expressed her desire to withdraw the complaint filed against her parents if she was allowed to live with the petitioner.
The Vijayawada police on Tuesday (December 17, 2024) produced Ms Lalitha before the High Court following the court’s direction.
As the bench is willing to withdraw the complaint, criminal proceedings should not be initiated against the family members of Ms. Lalita, it has also disposed of the writ petition.
published – December 19, 2024 at 04:54 pm IST