New Delhi, Sep 1 The Delhi High Court has issued a directive to the family members and relatives of a young lesbian, asking them not to threaten or exert undue pressure on her or her partner, adding that the couple is free to live their lives as they deem fit.
The court's decision came in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by the 22-year-old woman's friend, who had claimed that the former was missing.
At the last hearing, the court had directed the parents and maternal uncle of the lesbian woman to undergo counselling to help them come to terms with her sexual orientation and accept her as she is.
The court said the woman is an adult and has expressed her desire not to return to her family, and instead stay with her partner.
The court recognised the woman's right to make her own choice and clarified that no party should attempt to intimidate or pressurise either the petitioner or her partner. It warned that any violation of its order would result in action against those responsible.
The woman's uncle claimed that she had been influenced by her partner and that the family found it challenging to accept homosexuality.
After engaging with the parties involved, a bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna had, at the last hearing, directed the police to take the woman to a shelter home and arrange for her accommodation and stay there.
The court had asked the shelter home's director to provide a counselling session to the woman, while also stating that her family members should receive counselling on alternate days.
The bench had further directed the woman's parents and other concerned individuals not to exert any form of threat or undue pressure on her or the petitioner.
The court had noted that the parents of the woman had agreed to her being sent to the shelter home to reflect on her future and introspect.
The woman herself had told the court that she was not willing to accompany her parents or any relative and would choose to either go with the petitioner or to the shelter home.
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