Shakti Vahini v. Union of India

This commentary focuses on a landmark 2018 Supreme Court judgment addressing honor killings sanctioned by extrajudicial bodies like Khap Panchayats. Initiated by the social action group Shakti Vahini, the case resulted in a ruling that two consenting adults have an absolute right to choose their life partner under the constitutional protections of privacy, dignity, and personal liberty (Article 21). The court declared Khap Panchayats illegal and, noting a clear legislative vacuum, issued strict preventive, remedial, and punitive directives for states to protect vulnerable couples from vigilante violence.