120 IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision :18.03.2026 Jxxxx through her next friend Gurmeet Singh ....Petitioner VERSUS State of Punjab and Others ....Respondents CORAM : HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANDEEP PANNU Present: Mr. Aazam Khan, Advocate for the petitioners -.-

MANDEEP PANNU J. (Oral)

1. The present writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed seeking issuance of direction to the official respondents to protect the life and liberty of the petitioner(being minor, through her next friend Gurmeet Singh son of Gurmej Singh) at the hands of private respondents, who are none other than the family members of the petitioner.

2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner is 16 years and 5 months old. It is further submitted that she used to meet Ramandeep Singh and they have decided to get married on attaining the age of majority. However, the private respondents came to know about them and are adamant to get her married against her will. Left with no other option, she fled away from her home and informed Ramandeep Singh about leaving her home. She, being minor, is filing the present petition through Gurmeet Singh