The Andhra Pradesh High Court has ruled in favour of a lesbian couple, reaffirming their right to live together and make their own decisions. The case was heard by Justices R Raghunandan Rao and K Maheswara Rao after a petition was filed by a woman, Kavitha (name changed), seeking the release of her partner Lalitha (name changed) from her father’s custody.

Kavitha had approached the court, claiming that Lalitha was unlawfully detained by her father. The court supported the couple’s right to choose their partner freely and directed Lalitha’s parents not to interfere in their relationship.

Family tried to separate the couple

A lesbian couple in Andhra Pradesh was reunited after the High Court ruled in their favor. The couple, who had been living together in Vijayawada for the past year, were separated when Lalitha’s father forcibly took her to his home in Narsipatnam.

Kavitha, her partner, filed a missing person's complaint. Police found Lalitha and placed her in a welfare home for 15 days, even though Lalitha repeatedly told them she wanted to live with Kavitha.

In September, Lalitha accused her father of harassing her over her relationship with Kavitha and other matters. After police helped her return to Vijayawada, Lalitha was again taken by her father. This led Kavitha to approach the High Court for help in reuniting with her partner.

During the court hearing, Lalitha’s father claimed that Kavitha and her family had abducted his daughter. However, Kavitha’s lawyer, Jada Sravan Kumar, presented evidence, including Supreme Court rulings, showing that Lalitha had clearly expressed her desire to live with Kavitha.

On Tuesday, Vijayawada police brought Lalitha to the court, where she reiterated her wish to live with her partner. Taking her statement into account, the bench directed her parents not to interfere in their relationship, stating that Lalitha, being a legal adult, was capable of making her own choices.

The court also acknowledged Lalitha's request to withdraw the complaint against her parents, ensuring that no criminal proceedings would be initiated against them. This decision reaffirmed the couple’s right to live together without interference.