BHAWNA Vs. STATE OF PUNJAB

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Fearing for their lives and liberty at the hands of the private respondents, the petitioners , who claim to have married aOer a?aining the permissible age for marriage, against the wishes of the private respondents, have come up before this Court by invoking their fundamental rights of life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, seeking direcOon to the State to protect them.

(2.) Notices served upon the official respondents through the State's counsel. Given the nature of the order that this Court proposes to pass, neither the response of official respondents nor the issuance of notices s to the private respondents is required

(3.) If the allegaOons of apprehension of threat to their lives turn out to be true, it might lead to an irreversible loss. Thus, in the facts and circumstances peculiar to this case, it shall be appropriate that the concerned Superintendent of Police, SHO, or any officer to whom such powers have been delegated or have been authorized in this regard, provide appropriate protecOon to the petitioners for one week from today. However, if the petitioners no longer require the protecOon, then at their request it may be disconOnued even before the expiry of one week. AOer that, the concerned officers shall extend the protecOon on day-to-day analysis of the ground realiOes or upon the oral or wri?en request of the petitioners .