Protection to runaway couples: Punjab and Haryana High Court calls for re-look into system

Saurabh Malik

Chandigarh, April 29

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has called for a re-look into the system of providing protection to runaway couples for ensuring necessary action by the police and other authorities in a time-bound manner. The directions by Justice Avneesh Jhingan come at a time when the High Court is flooded with petitions seeking protection of life and liberty.

Justice Jhingan also made it clear that cooperation from both states of Punjab and Haryana was required for sharing the addresses of shelter homes in Panchkula and Mohali so that the runaway couples could be accommodated there.

The directions came after the state counsel submitted that couples from Punjab and Haryana came to Chandigarh to file petitions. But it was not possible to accommodate all of them in Chandigarh. Justice Jhingan asserted steps taken by the UT of Chandigarh and Haryana had been mentioned in a status reports. “Still, it is needed that awareness of the forums made available for redressal of the grievances of couples, including the portals, needs to be publicised so that the public at large is aware of it”.

Referring to the submission of the Punjab State counsel that a portal has been started and shelter homes were earmarked in 14 districts, Justice Jhingan added it appeared from the status report filed by Punjab that the process for dealing with representations alleging threat to life was long drawn. The first step was to ensure the safety of the couples. For that, time would be an essence.

“It is desirable that the working process is re-looked to ensure that the necessary action may be by the police authorities or other authorities is taken within a time-bound manner. It has been informed that 521 camps have been held for public awareness. The steps taken are only the beginning, considering the number of litigants approaching this Court with a threat perception, is an indicator in itself that much more is required to be done. There is no doubt that the Punjab Legal Services Authority will lend its full cooperation to the authorities,” Justice Jhingan concluded.

Justice Jhingan has already made it clear that safe houses were required to be made available to the runaway couples in each district of Punjab and Haryana, along with the UT of Chandigarh.