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Allahabad High Court allowed a habeas corpus petition, holding that if a minor is found to be major during investigation, her consent and marriage to an adult may not attract POCSO Act provisions. The ruling emphasizes radiological age verification over FIR allegations, reinforcing the corpus' right to liberty and free will.
Allahabad High Court rules that halala nikah performed under coercion or on a minor is not protected by personal laws and constitutes statutory rape and gang rape under POCSO Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The judgment underscores constitutional rights over religious practices when they violate child protection laws, setting a precedent for similar cases involving minors or coercive marital practices.
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 Gauhati High Court ruled that a marriage contracted with a minor remains valid unless annulled, but the claimant must prove the marriage’s validity to claim succession rights under the Indian Succession Act. Failure to establish prior marriage-regardless of minor status at union-disqualifies inheritance claims, reinforcing that succession certificates hinge on documented marital legitimacy, not mere cohabitation.