#custody of minor

Allahabad HC dismissed a habeas corpus petition after the minor affirmed her voluntary marriage, pregnancy, and desire to live with her husband and mother-in-law. The court entrusted custody to the mother-in-law despite the minor’s disputed age (16-18 years), prioritizing her expressed autonomy over parental objections rooted in caste differences.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court transferred a Hindu Marriage Act Section 9 petition from Jalandhar to Faridabad, prioritizing the 11.5-year-old daughter’s residence and the mother’s financial dependency, alongside a pending maintenance petition under BNSS. This ruling reinforces that child-centric welfare and ongoing economic support obligations outweigh procedural convenience in matrimonial forum disputes, setting a clear precedent for petitioners in similar circumstances.