New Delhi, Feb. 23 -- "Right to live with a person of his/her choice, irrespective of religion professed by them, is intrinsic to right to life and personal liberty. Interference in a personal relationship, would constitute a serious encroachment into the right to freedom of choice of the two individuals," the court said.

The Court was hearing a batch of 12 petitions, wherein seven Muslim women lived with Hindu men and five Hindu women lived with Muslim men. The couple had approached the Court for police protection, alleging that they were facing threats from third parties, including their family members.

"This Court fails to understand that if the law permits two persons even of the same sex to live together peacefully then neither any...