The Andhra Pradesh High Court recently upheld the right of a lesbian couple to live together and directed the police to ensure that they are reunited without any interference from their family members. .A Bench of Justice R Raghunandan Rao and Justice Maheswara Rao Kuncheam made the intervention on a 25-year-old (petitioner)'s plea alleging that her partner was forcibly being kept away from her by her family.After detenue (partner) said she wishes to go with the petitioner, the Court said it would be open to her to go with the petitioner or take any such decision as she wishes..The police shall ensure that the detenue is safely escorted to the house of the petitioner, the Court ordered.It also said that her family cannot interfere with the decision."In view of the fact that the detenue is a major and is free to make her own decisions about her life, neither the parents nor the other family members can restrain her from taking a decision in regard to her life.".On December 12, the Court had directed that the detenue be produced before it. When the matter came up on December 17, she was present. After interacting with her in the chambers, the Court noted that she categorically stated her wish to go with the petitioner. Accordingly, the Court asked her parents to not interfere with her decision.Meanwhile, It also dealt with the complaint filed by the detenue against her parents on September 30. Considering her statement that she had no desire to prosecute her parents or other members of family, the Court said,"Needless to say no criminal action shall be taken against the parents of the detenue or the family members of the detenue in relation to any action that is alleged against them in relation to this case, till today.".Advocate Jada Sravan Kumar appeared for the petitioner.Advocate Venkat Chalasani appeared for the respondents.
