A woman has the right to live and love: Apex court

A woman has a right to live and love, the Supreme Court said on Friday, sending a man to jail for seven years for eve-teasing a former lover who committed suicide.

A bench headed by justice Dipak Misra observed that like a man, women have their own space in society. Yet, they are not allowed to live in peace and lead a life empowered with dignity and freedom. “It has to be kept in mind that she has a right to life and is entitled to love according to her choice,” the court said, wondering why women could not assert their individual choice, which is legally recognised.

“It has to be socially respected. No one can compel a woman to love. She has the absolute right to reject,” it said. The court rejected the man’s appeal against a Himachal Pradesh HC verdict that convicted him for abetment to suicide of the girl, who was pushed to kill herself because of his continuous pestering.

According to the police, the victim was in love with the accused. But, on the complaint of the girl’s father, a rape case was registered against him. Although the man was acquitted as the girl supported him, he felt she was the reason for his harassment and started troubling her. Fed up, she doused herself with kerosene and set herself afire.

Eve-teasing has become a pernicious, horrid and disgusting practice and this violates a woman’s right to freedom and life, the SC said. “We are at pains to state that in a civilized society, eve-teasing is causing harassment to women in educational institutions, public places, parks, railways stations and other public places, which only goes to show that requisite sense of respect for women has not been socially cultivated,” it added.

The court also said in a civilized society, male chauvinism had no room.

“Egoism must succumb to law. Equality has to be regarded as the summum bonum of the constitutional principle in this context. The instant case portrays the deplorable depravity of the appellant that has led to a heartbreaking situation for a young girl who has been compelled to put an end to her life,” said the court.