Khaps to discuss if parents’ nod a must for live-in relationships

GURGAON: Khaps of the state said they will hold a mahapanchayat in Jind on September 10 to discuss if couples should get permission from parents for a live-in relationship and love marriage.
In 2018, the Supreme Court had ruled that no khap, panchayat, individual or society can question if consenting adults marry. The court also said khap panchayats — community groups that wield considerable influence, especially in north India — should not take law into their own hands as no authority has been conferred on them under any law.
A panchayat of Majra khap was held in the village secretariat of Jind’s Haibatpur village, where they decided on the upcoming panchayat. It will be held in the government school of Jalalpur Kalan, a village under Naugama khap. All gram panchayats across the district will be invited and a district-level khap manch will be formed which will be completely non-political, said Majra khap panchayat on Sunday.
Naugama khap spokesperson Umed Singh Jaglan said that the heads of Majra khap, Kandela khap, Naugama khap, Dadan khap, Chahal khap, Kheda khap, Dhul khap and Rupgarh village were also the part of the panchayat held to announce the mahapanchayat on September 10.
They shared their views about societal practices at the meeting on Sunday.
“This will be helpful in doing away with the social evils that have come with the cultural shift. We need to ban marriages in the same village and same gotra. We will also discuss the funeral dinner and de-addiction at the mahapanchayat,” said Samudra Singh.
“After discussing the details and reaching a conclusion, we will form a district-level committee to ensure the implementation and other works regarding the decision taken at the panchayat,” he added.