J.c.chawla & Rajat Chawla Associates Advocates.

20/06/2026

18/06/2026

A live-in couple approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking police protection from the woman’s family.

​They claimed that both were majors, unmarried, in love, and wanted to marry in the future. They also alleged that the woman’s family was harassing them and threatening to implicate the man in a false case if she did not leave him.

​But the High Court refused protection.

​Justice Sandeep Moudgil held that merely living together for a few days is not enough to establish a genuine live-in relationship — especially when the couple themselves said they intended to marry only later, and the man had not yet attained marriageable age.

​The Court also examined the Article 21 argument. While Article 21 protects the right to life, liberty and dignity, the Court said that this right cannot be seen only from the couple's side.

​The Court observed that by running away from their parental home, the petitioners were not only bringing a bad name to their families, but also affecting the parents’ right to live with dignity and honour.

​The petition seeking police protection was dismissed.