A 23-year-old woman is free to move about “as per her own wish:” Bombay High Court

A 23-year-old woman is a major who is free to move about as she pleases, the Bombay High Court observed on Tuesday while disposing of a Habeas Corpus plea to secure the presence of the woman who was allegedly kept in custody by her parents over an inter-faith relationship. A Bench of Justices SS Shinde and Manish Pitale noted that the woman and her parents confirmed that she is a major. “The woman stated that she is aged about 23 years and, therefore, she intends to live her life, as per her wish. It is not disputed by her parents that she is a major, aged about 23 years. Since she is admittedly a major aged about 23 years old, she is free to move as per her own wish,” the Court said. The Court was approached by the petitioner claiming the parents of the woman had kept her in illegal custody and detention as they were opposed their inter-religious relationship.