HC orders issue of notice on plea

Expressing concern over "honour killings' and suicides due to inter-caste love marriages, a petitioner today sought a direction from the Madras High Court bench here to the Registration Department (Marriage), Hindu Temples and police that the marriages would be carried out only if parents were present and their consent obtained.
A Division Bench of Justice V.Dhanapalan and Justice V.M.Velumani ordered issue of notice to the Home Secretary, Inspector General of Registration, Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment and DGP seeking their views on the petition within two weeks.
The petitioner K.K.Ramesh, a PIL litigant, running 'Tamil Nadu centre for PIL', claimed that more than 100 honour killings had been reported in Tamil Nadu in the last five years. It was time the Government took strong steps to stop honour killings by modifying the Hindu Marriage act.

In most of the cases the girls were affected,as the parents also refused to support them.Many girls had committed suicide also, it was submitted.
"The consent and appearance of parents is essential for any inter-caste community marriage in the sub-registrar office or the police station or temple," the petitioner said,and sought the court direction for it.