Bombay High Court: Adults Free to Choose Life Partners

A young woman from Nagpur left home when she was 17 to be with a young man she liked.

Her mother wanted her to come back home, so she asked a court for help.

This kind of request is called a habeas corpus petition.

A judge from the Bombay High Court talked to the young woman directly.

She told the judge she left home on purpose and wants to stay with the young man.

The judge said that grown-ups can choose who they want to live with and marry.

He also said children are not their parents' property.

The mother said the man kept her daughter locked up when she was younger, but the judge did not agree.

Because the daughter was not being held illegally, the court said no to the mother's request.

The judge explained that the welfare of the child is the most important thing in such cases.