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Despite parental opposition... 20-year-old woman is free to become Jain sadhvi: HC

Hans News Service Indore

TheMadhya Pradesh High Court has granted relief to a 20-year-old woman who wishes to renounce the worldly life and become a Jain sadhvi, saying that as an adult citizen, she is free to make her life decisions and practise the religion of her choice.

Justice Sandeep N. Bhatt of the Indore bench made this remark while disposing of the woman’s writ petition on September 7.

The woman’s lawyer told the court that she had decided to embrace the Shvetambara Jain faith, take initiation and follow the religious path as a sadhvi, but her parents and relatives were opposing her decision and harassing her.

In the petition, the woman had requested immediate police protection.

The single bench said in its order, “I have considered the submissions made at the bar. It seems that the petitioner who is aged 20 years, citizen of India, is entitled to follow the religion or practice of religion as per her own way and to live her life as per her will.”

Citing the “peculiar facts of the case”, the court said it had equal sympathy towards the woman as well as her parents.

“... but law provides that petitioner being a major (aged more than 18 years) and citizen of India is entitled to get protection of her family rights and other legal rights and for any obstruction caused by anybody, the same cannot be permitted in the eye of law,” it said. The judge told the woman that if her parents or any other person adopted coercive methods against her, she could apply to the police station or officer concerned for help. It also cited the Supreme Court’s decisions in “Lata Singh vs. State of U.P.” and another case reported in AIR 2006 SC 2522, holding that individuals aged over 18 were free to make their own decisions and that the court was required to protect the interests of such persons.

The high court directed that if such an application is filed by the woman, the competent authority or the station in-charge would look into the matter and take immediate action as per the directions given in the relevant Supreme Court judgment.