New Delhi: Protecting the rights of couples marrying outside their caste, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said that "no 'Khap Panchayat' or society can question" if an adult man and woman opt for inter-caste marriage.
"What we are concerned is that if an adult girl or boy gets into marriage, no 'Khap', no individual or no society can question them," the court said.
The apex court also termed any attack by 'Khap Panchayat' or associations on the couples, who marry outside their caste, as "absolutely illegal".
"Whenever there is any kind of collective attack on a boy or girl who are adult, it is absolutely illegal," the court said.
A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud asked the Centre to give its response on suggestions earlier given by amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran on ways to prevent harassment and killing of young couples in the name of family honour for marrying inter-caste or intra-clan (gotra).
The apex court had earlier sought suggestions from an NGO 'Shakti Vahini', amicus curiae and 'Khap Panchayats' on the issue.
Khaps are caste or community organisations in villages which at times act as quasi-judicial bodies and pronounce harsh punishments based on regressive and age-old customs and traditions.
The NGO had moved the top court in 2010 seeking directions to the central and state governments to prevent and control honour crimes by taking a number of measures.
Earlier, the apex court had invited 'Khap Panchayats' to hear their views before issuing any order to stop them from harassing and killing couples and women in the name of honour.
The Centre had pleaded with the apex court to put in place a mechanism to monitor crimes against women by Khap Panchayats, as the police was not able to protect women facing ordeal at their hands.
The top court had also said that as a pilot project, it would examine the situation in three districts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh where 'Khap Panchayats' were active.
(With PTI inputs)
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