Ahmedabad: The Gujarat high court directed an interfaith live-in couple from Mehsana district to register their marriage under the Special Marriage Act and ordered the man to deposit Rs 3 lakh as financial security for the woman in case they separate in future.The case involved a 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman from different faiths who had been living together. After they were separated, the woman was placed in the women’s protection home at Palanpur in Banaskantha. The man moved the high court, challenging the separation and seeking custody of his partner, stating that they intended to marry.The HC called the woman to know her wishes. The man filed an affidavit expressing his willingness to deposit Rs 3 lakh after the HC expressed its concern, saying, “the financial security of the girl was at risk in the event any unfortunate contingency arises in future”. He said that he was ready to solemnise the marriage under the Special Marriage Act and comply with all legal requirements. In his undertaking, the man said he would provide for her maintenance, residence, and all necessities of life according to his means and capacity, and would treat her with dignity, respect, and ensure her well-being.The high court directed that the amount be deposited in a nationalised bank. As the woman did not have a bank account, the court asked the registry to open one in her name and ordered that interest from the fixed deposit be credited to her account periodically. It said, “It was also made clear that in the event the corpus is put to any kind of separation in future, the entire amount of Rs 3 lakh would be handed over to her for her financial security.“The court further directed the man to “give a notice of intended marriage with the corpus and conclude the entire process within a period of six weeks from today”. The HC also directed the govt officials concerned “to process the application of the petitioner and the respondent of the intended marriage and ensure that all the requirements are concluded and the marriage is solemnised in accordance with law”.The high court posted a further hearing on April 24 and directed the woman to continue living at the women’s protection home in Ahmedabad. She is permitted to accompany the petitioner to fulfil the formalities of the marriage registration. The court also directed the authorities concerned to supply her birth certificate and school-leaving certificate.
