HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT SRINAGAR WP(C) No. 1733/2026 CM No. 4583/2026 Iram Iqbal & Anr. ….Petitioner/Appellant(s) Through :- Mr. Malik Suhail, Advocate. V/s UT of J&K & ors. ….Respondent(s) Through :- None. Coram: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAHUL BHARTI, JUDGE ORDER 21.07.2026 1. The petitioners, both being of age of majority, have exercised their free will to enter into marital relationship and for that are said to have earned displeasure of their respective families. 2. To lend confirmation to the fact of their marriage having been solemnized out of their free will and volition, the petitioners have put on record a copy of “Nikha-Nama” dated 19.07.2026. 3. Along with the writ petition, the petitioner No. 1’s Secondary School Examination Certificate issued by the Jammu & Kashmir State Board of School Education evidencing her date of birth is also annexed which confirms the fact that the petitioner no.1 is and was major at 2 the time of solemnizing marriage with the petitioner No. 2 who in turn is also major. 4. The petitioners are in hiding because they fear for their lives and physical safety. They apprehend that the relatives of petitioner No.1 alongwith some private persons, who are carrying hard feelings against the petitioners for their act of marrying each other against parental side approval may cause them harm. 3. Keeping in view the mandate and dictate of the Hon’ble Supreme Court as laid down in case of Lata Singh vs. State of UP & Anr. reported as 2006 (5) SCC 475 in terms whereof a direction has been set into effect for the government administration and police authorities throughout the Country to see to it that if any boy or girl, who is a major, undergoes inter-caste or inter-religious marriage with a girl or boy who is also major, then the marrying individuals are not to be harassed by any one nor to be subjected to threats or acts of violence, and in case any such threat or harassment is confronted to be inflicted on the individuals then the persons responsible for holding out such threats/harassments are to be taken to task by instituting criminal proceedings by the Police against such persons and further stern action to be taken as provided by law. 4. Article 144 of the Constitution of India mandates all authorities, civil and judicial in the territory of India to act in aid of the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Bearing this constitutional sanction in perspective and the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court set into place, it is a matter of duty for the Police officials as well as officials of the 3 concerned Civil administration, irrespective of hierarchical position, to ensure that marrying individuals, who are major and have chosen to become husband and wife out of their free will and volition, do not live in fear or face harassment. 5. This petition at the threshold is disposed of alongwith connected application with a direction to the respondent No.3-Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bandipora to ensure by issuing appropriate directions/instructions to the respondent No. 4-Station House Officer (SHO), Police Station, Bandipora and respondent No.5- Duty Officer (DO), Police Post, Sumlar Bandipora that the petitioners, namely Iram Iqbal and Ishfaq Ahmad Hajam are not subjected to any harassment/intimidation/threats at the hands of the relatives of petitioners or any other person acting for and on their behalf. 6. Disposed of. (Rahul Bharti) Judge Srinagar 21.07.2026 Muzammil. Q