The Allahabad High Court provided police protection to a lesbian couple in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, stating that it was duty bound to monitor the rights of the citizens under threat on account of their sexual orientation.
The bench of Justice Mahesh Chandra Tripathi and Justice Sanjay Kumar Pachori was hearing the petition of two women, aged 23 and 21, who have been living together for a few years and had sought protection as they were facing resistance from their families.
The Court, in its judgement, noted that: “The petition highlights the stark reality of the society where the citizens are facing discrimination at the hands of the society only on account of their sexual orientation despite it being well settled that sexual orientation is innate to human being.” It further said, “This Court being a constitutional Court is duty bound to monitor and observe the Constitutional morality as well as the rights of the citizens which are under threat only on account of the sexual orientation.”
The order was passed on January 21 and Saharanpur police were instructed to extend suitable protection to the couple and ensure that they did not face any harassment.