Women above 18 are free to chose religion, marry by choice: HC
Aug 03, 2026 • Sidrah Gohar • Court Notices / Legal Notices
Source:
Siasat
As long as women voluntarily convert to Islam and marry based on their choice of person, no individual, including the father, can interfere in that decision, stated the Allahabad High Court.The court made the observation on July 30, while hearing a petition from two sisters, aged 20 and 35. Represented by their counsel, the sisters said that their conversion from Hinduism to Islam was voluntary and that they chose to marry of their own free will, arguing that it was their fundamental right.
Justice Sandeep Jain then ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police and the father to produce the two sisters, Anshu Bhatia alias Amina Anshu Bhatia (35) and Divya Bhatia alias Zoya Diya Bhatia (20), before the court on August 6. The sisters had alleged in the court that their father registered a case in Agra in May 2025, preventing them from following through with their personal choices.The High Court said that in such cases, the most important duty was to understand whether the petitioners were acting of their free will or under coercion. To ascertain the two women’s safety, the court said it was appropriate to directly interact with them regarding the voluntariness of their decisions.The bench asked for a clear personal affidavit explaining reasons for non-compliance if the two sisters fail to show on August 6 before the court.