HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT JAMMU WP(C) No. 31/2025 Kanika Verma and another …..Appellant(s)/Petitioner(s) Through: Mr. Rohit Kohli, Adv. vs U. T. of J&K and others .…. Respondent(s) Through: Ms. Monika Kohli, Sr. AAG Coram: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE JAVED IQBAL WANI, JUDGE ORDER 03.01.2025 1. The petitioners seek a direction to official respondents to provide them the police protection as they apprehend danger to their lives from respondent nos. 5 to 7. It is submitted that the petitioners are major and out of their free will they got married. Copy of marriage agreement has been placed on record. They submit that since they have contracted the marriage against the wishes of private respondents, as such, they are facing harassment at the hands of respondent nos. 5 to 7. 2. Learned counsel for the petitioners refers to the decision of the Supreme Court in Lata Singh v. State of U.P. and another 2006 (5) SCC 475, and submits that in absence of there being any legal impediment, the petitioners are entitled to marry according to their choice and the official respondents are duty bound to protect the life and liberty of the petitioners. 3. Any person having attained the age of majority is entitled to contract the marriage as per his/her wishes and the Police Department is duty bound to protect the life and liberty, if approached. However, it appears that the 26 2 WP(C) No. 31/2025 petitioners have not ever approached the official respondents for their indulgence in the matter for providing protection to them. 4. In this view of the matter, this petition is disposed of, at this stage, by providing that the official respondents shall look into the grievance of the petitioners for providing them adequate security and to ensure that nobody interferes in their married life, if they approach them. It is made clear that no opinion has been expressed with regard to the validity of their marriage. 5. The writ petition is, accordingly, disposed of along with connected application. (JAVED IQBAL WANI) JUDGE Jammu 03.01.2025 Rakesh Whether the order is speaking: Yes/No Whether the order is reportable: Yes/No Rakesh Kumar 2025.01.03 17:29 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document