Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh High Court Tuesday affirmed the right of a lesbian couple to live together, underscoring their freedom to choose partners without interference.
The decision was rendered by a bench comprising Justices R Raghunandan Rao and K Maheswara Rao, who was hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by one of the women, identified as Kavitha, alleging that her partner, Lalitha, was being held against her will by her father in Narsipatnam.
The court directed Lalitha’s parents not to interfere in the relationship, stating that their daughter is an adult capable of making her own decisions.
The couple, who have been living together in Vijayawada for the past year, had faced repeated challenges to their union.
The case began when Kavitha filed a missing person complaint after Lalitha was allegedly taken to her father’s home against her will. Police traced Lalitha, brought her to safety and temporarily placed her in a welfare home. Despite Lalitha’s insistence that she was a legal adult and wanted to stay with her partner, the custody battle persisted.
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In September, Lalitha lodged a harassment complaint against her parents, citing their disapproval of her relationship. Following police intervention, Lalitha returned to Vijayawada and resumed her life with Kavitha.
The matter escalated when Lalitha’s father allegedly abducted her a second time, prompting Kavitha to file a habeas corpus petition. The father countered with a police complaint, accusing Kavitha and her family of abducting his daughter.
Jada Sravan Kumar, counsel for Kavitha, cited prior Supreme Court judgments to argue that Lalitha had unequivocally expressed her desire to live with Kavitha in her parents’ home and had no intention of returning to her own family. Kumar further informed the court that Lalitha was willing to withdraw her complaint against her parents if allowed to live with her partner.
Following the court’s directives, Vijayawada police produced Lalitha before the bench. The court concluded that no criminal proceedings should be initiated against Lalitha’s family, acknowledging her willingness to reconcile on the condition of her freedom to cohabit with Kavitha.
PNN & Agencies
