The Supreme Court Friday issued notice on a plea by the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) seeking “security and safe house” for 12 couples who, it contended, were facing “serious threats to their lives from their families and other social vigilante groups” for marrying outside their caste or religion. The Commission expressed fear that they may become victims of honour killings. Advertising The notices were issued by a bench of Justice A K Sikri and Justice S Abdul Nazeer. Appearing for the Commission, Sunil Fernandes pointed out that these couples, who had undergone inter-caste and inter-faith marriages, had run away from their homes after their families and the local community and khaps opposed this, forcing them to approach the NGO Love Commandos for shelter. The petition said that one of these couples had complained to the Commission about extortion and harassment from the NGO, and had sought help from it. Subsequently, they were rescued by the Commission last month “from the lodging run by the NGO Love Commandos”. Initially, the rescued women were housed in a shelter home for women, while the men were housed in a gurdwara, the plea pointed out. Later, while the women were housed in a shelter home, the men were moved to a temporary private accommodation arranged by the Commission. The DCW said it had written to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central District, to provide for safe house/shelter and protection of the respondent couples. Advertising The Commission pleaded that “on account of insufficient manpower, facilities, and security arrangements”, it is “not in a position to provide sustained accommodation to such couples for a long time considering the legal and security implication which may arise”.

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