Inter-religious Couples Can Marry Under The Special Marriage Act Without Conversion: Allahabad High Court

Prayagraj, May 31 (TNA) The Allahabad High Court has said that the marriage contract is certainly illegal but the Special Marriage Act does not prohibit anyone from getting married without changing religion. Couples who believe in opposite religions can get married under the Special Marriage Act, it noted.

The court has directed the police to protect the petitioners from the opposition and to show their goodwill, the petitioners have been ordered to get married under the Special Marriage Act and file the documents in the court. The next hearing of the petition will be on July 10. This order has been given by Justice Jyotsna Sharma while hearing the petition of Sunita Rani and others.

The petitioners told the court that both of them love each other. They are living in a live-in relationship like husband and wife as both of them were adults and that they want to get married under the Special Marriage Act without converting their religion. The petitioners also pleaded before the court that their safety was under threat from the opposite party.

They also demanded that they cannot live an independent life without protection and so they should be given protection. The government lawyer said that the petitioners have entered into a marriage contract which is not legally valid. Therefore, they cannot be given protection.