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Safe House meant for all including interfaith, intercaste and LGBTIA+ community couples facing trouble from families: Delhi High Court.

The Delhi High Court has recently ruled that all couples – inter- caste, inter faith and those belonging to the LGBTQA+ communities are entitled to be provided safe houses to protect them from the opposition of their families.

The Delhi High Court has recently ruled that all couples – inter- caste, inter faith and those belonging to the LGBTQA+ communities are entitled to be provided safe houses to protect them from the opposition of their families.

The observation was made by Justice Mukta Gupta while adjudicating on a petition filed by a couple who were similarly situated.

Additional Standing Counsel Rajesh Mahajan informed the court that a safe house has been constructed in Delhi as per the order of the court in Shakti Vahini v. Union of India which also dealt with the issue of inter-faith couples.

After being informed the court directed the Delhi Police to ensure safe transportation of such people to the safe house and provide them adequate protection till they decide to stay in these homes.
However, the court also clarified that this was only a stop-gap measure and the petitioner’s family members need to be pleaded and made parties to the case in future.

Utkarsh Singh the counsel for the petitioners submitted before the court that although the petitioners were adults, they were a victim of assault inflicted by their family members.
He further informed the court that the couple had approached the DPC by were not allotted a safe house.

NGO Dhanak for Humanity was also a petitioner in the case and informed the court that the two couple were also traced by their family members and were running here and there to save their lives and reached out to the NGO for help.

The couple argued for judicial intervention on the grounds that as per Article 21 of the Indian Constitution they are entitled to live their life with dignity irrespective of their sexual orientation. They further said that non-allotment of a safe house violates their rights under the said article.

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