Inter-Religious and Inter-Caste Marriages are Good for Socialism, Not Averse to Them: Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it is not averse to inter-faith and inter-caste marriages since such relationships will promote "socialism".

"We aren't averse to interfaith marriages. Hindu-Muslim marriages are also acceptable. If they marry each other under the law, why should there be problems?" observed a bench comprising Justices Arun Mishra and MR Shah.

Justice Mishra added: "It is also good if caste distinction is done away with. People in so-called high caste and low caste should marry each other. That is even better. They are good for socialism."

The bench further said that live-in relationships have already been acknowledged by the court and hence, it doesn't need to examine the issue at all. "We only want to protect the interests of the couple and be sure about their bonafide. We do get concerned about the future of the women especially and that is why we want to make our efforts to secure her future," said the bench.

The bench made the observations while hearing a man's petition against the inter-faith marriage of his daughter in Chhattisgarh. The case arose in Chhatisgarh wherein a Muslim man converted to Hinduism to marry the girl.

After the High Court allowed the couple to live together, the girl's father moved in appeal, calling the marriage a sham and the result of a racket. Senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the girl's father, submitted that there was a racket being operated in the name of inter-faith marriages and that the Supreme Court should look into it.

Senior lawyers Rakesh Dwivedi appeared for the man, who converted to Hinduism for the marriage, and Gopal Shankarnarayan represented the girl. Both of them cited from the Supreme Court's order in Kerala's Hadiya case to oppose an investigation into the marriage.

Judges clarified that they will not investigate the marriage and only wanted to ensure that the girl's interests are protected in peculiar facts of the case. The petition was deferred for September 24, and the official replies from the state government and others in the matter have been sought.