Having attained marriageable age, girl freed by High Court from child care home & allowed to live with partner

Read Order: Aanchal minor through next friend Vinit v. State of Haryana and others 

LE Correspondent

Chandigarh, July 13, 2021: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed a child care home in Chandigarh to release a girl who has now attained the age of 18 years, allowing her to live with the man of her choice.

The High Court had sent her to a government facility last year while hearing a petition filed by her and her live-in partner seeking protection. After the HC had found that she was a minor aged seventeen-and-a-half years, it directed that she needed to be under government vigil until she reached adulthood. 

The high court in a fresh order on July 7, 2021 stated that the petitioner being major now is entitled to live at any place with any person of her choice.

The girl was asked by the HC last year to stay at Ashiana child care home in Sector 15, Chandigarh till further orders to the contrary.

In her latest plea before the high court filed on her behalf by her partner, the petitioner sought her discharge to allow her to go to the place and person of her own choice, as she has now attained adulthood.

A Bench of Justice Arun Kumar Tyagi said that as per her Aadhar Card, the petitioner has already attained majority. The petitioner being major is entitled to live at any place with any person of her choice, he said.

“The petitioner was also produced before this Court from Ashiana, Sector 15 Chandigarh through Whats app call and on being asked she has stated that she wants to go with her friend. In view of the above, respondent No. 8 – Senior Superintendent of Police, Chandigarh and In-charge, Ashiana, Sector – 15, Chandigarh are directed to release the petitioner and to allow her to go with her next friend,” Justice Tyagi said.