ORDER

1. Petitioners are present in person before this court.

2 . In this petition, the petitioners inter alia seeking direction to the respondents to provide protection to them.

3. Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the petitioners, who are major, have married each other on their own volition. For establishing the age of petitioners No.1 and no.2, adhar-cards and mark-sheets have been produced. However, the respondents are harassing and victimizing the petitioners. It is further submitted that the instant petition may be disposed of with the direction to the Superintendent of Police, Gwalior and Superintendent of Police, Jhansi to provide protection to the petitioners. In support of his submission, learned counsel for the petitioners has placed reliance on the decision in Lata Singh v. State of U.P. and another, (2006) 5 SCC 475 and in the case of Shakti Vahini Vs. Union of India and Others, 2018 (7) SCC

192.

4. On the other hand, learned Government Advocate for the respondents No.1 to 4/State fairly submitted that in case petitioners approach the police authorities, suitable action in the matter shall be taken.

5. Taking into account the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties and as agreed to by them, the writ petition is disposed of with the direction to the Superintendent of Police, Gwalior and Superintendent of Police, Jhansi to look into the matter and take appropriate steps expeditiously for providing protection to the petitioners only, in view of the law laid down by the Supreme Court in Lata Singh and Shakti Vahini (supra). This protection is only to the petitioners regarding marriage and would be given subject to verification of age of both the petitioners as well as factum of marriage.

6. The petition stands disposed of accordingly.

7. It is made clear that this Court has not expressed any opinion with regard to validity of the marriage of the petitioners.

Certified copy as per rules.

(ANAND PATHAK)

JUDGE Rashid