In a landmark ruling, the Kerala high court has allowed 18-year-old boy and a 19-year-old girl to live together. 

The bench headed Justice V Chitambaresh and Justice K P Jyotirindranath dismissed the petition filed by the father of 19-year-old girl.

The petitioner, Muhammed Riyad, a native of Alappuzha approached the court seeking a directive to the police to produce his daughter who he alleged was detained by the 18-year-old boy.

The girl's father told the court that he is willing to let go of his daughter with the boy after a legal and valid marriage but not for a live-in relationship.

He also argued that his daughter has not completed 21 years of age and hence is a 'child' as defined under Section 2 (a) of the prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.

The court, however, said  that the girl had attained puberty and had the capacity to marry both under Section 251 of Mahomedan Law as well as the provisions of the Act. The court held that both the girl and the boy are adults and said that the girl is free to live with the boy or marry him later when he attains the marriageable age.

"The constitutional court is bound to respect the unfettered right of a major to have a live-in relationship even though the same may not be palatable to the orthodox section of the society," the court noted.

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