Rajasthan High Court allows two life convicts to marry inside Jodhpur prison
Two life convicts got married inside a prison in Jodhpur after the Rajasthan High Court ruled that the right of two consenting adults to marry
Two life convicts got married inside a prison in Jodhpur after the Rajasthan High Court ruled that the right of two consenting adults to marry is an integral part of the fundamental right to life. The wedding took place at the Mandore open jail, where the couple exchanged garlands and took seven pheras in the presence of prison officials, police personnel and guests. Read Full Story The marriage was solemnised after the High Court allowed a plea by one of the convicts, holding that prisoners cannot be deprived of their right to marry merely because they are serving sentences. The court also said such unions support the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society and further the reformative goals of the criminal justice system.
Moolaram Bhati, 33, a resident of Nagaur district, and Seema Ghadse, 31, originally from Mumbai, were married in the jail premises. The ceremony was attended by 21 people, including family members, prison officials, staff and security personnel. Those present blessed the couple and sweets were distributed after the ceremony. The marriage followed an order by a Division Bench of the Rajasthan High Court comprising Justice PS Bhati and Justice Praveer Bhatnagar. While allowing Moolaram's plea seeking temporary suspension of sentence to facilitate the marriage, the court said marriage is a fundamental social institution. It ruled that the right of two consenting adults to marry is an integral part of the fundamental right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The court said permitting such marriages promotes the rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into mainstream society, advances the reformative goals of the criminal justice system and enables inmates to lead a normal family life in the future. During the hearing, the state government told the court that both convicts had voluntarily expressed their desire to marry and that it had no objection to the wedding being conducted inside the open prison in line with prison rules. The High Court then directed that the ceremony be held under the supervision of prison authorities and allowed 21 guests, along with a priest, to attend and perform the rituals. According to prison officials, Moolaram has been serving a life sentence since February 2017 after being convicted of murdering his neighbour, while Seema is serving life imprisonment for the murder of her husband.
Because of good conduct, Moolaram was transferred from Ajmer Jail to the Mandore Open Air Camp around two years ago, while Seema was shifted from a women's prison about one-and-a-half years ago. Both worked in agricultural activities within the camp, where regular interaction developed into a close relationship, after which they decided to marry and moved the High Court for permission. The wedding inside the open jail followed that court approval and was carried out in the presence of officials and invited guests. Ends
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