Bhopal : The Madhya Pradesh High Court has intervened in a contentious case involving an interfaith marriage and alleged 'love jihad', quashing an order that altered a woman's date of birth due to a violation of natural justice, mandating her right to be heard.

Madhya Pradesh High Court quashed a CMO order altering a woman's date of birth, citing violation of natural justice.

The court ruled that the woman was not informed or given an opportunity to be heard regarding her father's application to change her birth date.

The case stems from an interfaith marriage in March 2026, after which the woman's family allegedly tried to prove she was a minor by altering her birth records.

An FIR was filed against the woman's husband, with allegations of 'love jihad' and child marriage, based on the altered birth records.

The High Court has directed the CMO to reconsider the application for birth date change, ensuring the woman is afforded an effective hearing.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday granted relief to a young woman, who made headlines during the 2025 Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, by quashing the Chief Municipal Officer's (CMO) order altering her date of birth.

The HC's Indore bench directed the CMO of Maheshwar town in Khargone district to decide afresh in accordance with the law on the application filed by the woman's father for a change in her date of birth, after giving her an opportunity to be heard.

High Court Emphasises Natural Justice
Justice Gajendra Singh, while disposing of the writ petition filed by the woman and her husband, said she was not informed about the application filed by her father for a change in her date of birth and not given an opportunity to be heard.

The court, after considering the facts of the case, said, "In light of the above, petitioner no.1 (girl) was not intimated regarding the application of respondent no.3/ father for correction of date of birth and she was not provided any opportunity of being heard resulting in violation of principle of natural justice.

Accordingly, the order No.405/Na.Pa./2026 dated 31.03.2026 passed by CMO, Maheshwar, District Khargone correcting the date of birth of petitioner no.1 by cancelling the entry dated 05.06.2025 in exercise of power under Section 15 of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 read with Rule 11 of the Madhya Pradesh Registration of Births and Deaths Deaths Rules, 2024, is liable to be and is hereby set aside."

Respondent no. 5 (CMO, Maheshwar) is directed to decide the application of respondent no. 3/ father of petitioner no. 1 after affording the petitioner no. 1 the opportunity of effective hearing as per the law," it said.

Interfaith Marriage And Legal Challenges
The couple had filed a petition seeking relief regarding the cancellation of the woman's original birth certificate by the Maheshwar Municipal Council.

The petition stated that after the couple's interfaith marriage in March 2026, the woman's original birth certificate was cancelled without following the legal process. Following this, an FIR was registered against the woman's husband at the Maheshwar police station on a complaint of her father.

The FIR was filed under sections 137(2) (kidnapping), 81 (fraudulent marriage or sexual intercourse by providing false assurance of marriage), 83 (enticing a minor girl by taking her away) and 87 (kidnapping or abduction), and child marriage of the BNS.

The case was also registered under Section 9 (Child Marriage by an Adult Male) of the Prohibition of Marriage Act and relevant provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (the woman is a tribal).

According to the petition, the couple married in a temple in Keralam on March 11, 2026.

Dispute Over Woman's Age And Identity
The petition alleges that after the marriage, the woman's family opposed the relationship and had her original birth certificate cancelled without following legal procedures to prove she was a minor at the time of the wedding.

The petition states that the woman's actual date of birth is January 1, 2008, and this date is also recorded in her birth certificate issued by the Maheshwar Nagar Panchayat, as well as her Aadhaar card, PAN card, and other government documents.

The couple alleged that an FIR was filed against the woman's husband based on altered records, and their interfaith marriage was given a communal twist by linking it to 'love jihad,' posing a threat to their safety.

Lawyers for the state government and the woman's father objected to the couple's petition.

They argued that the woman's actual date of birth, according to the maternity register at the Maheshwar Community Health Centre, is December 30, 2009, which clearly indicates that she was a minor at the time of marriage.

The lawyers stated that the woman's previously issued birth certificate was based solely on a presumed affidavit from her parents and was amended in accordance with regulations after receiving the actual hospital records.

They stated that the case involves a serious dispute of facts that cannot be resolved through a petition filed by the couple under Article 226 of the Constitution.

Article 226 empowers every HC to issue directions, orders, or writs or enforcing fundamental rights.

Senior advocate Vivek Krishna Tankha appeared for the woman and her husband.

The woman shot to overnight social media fame after a video of her selling 'rudraksha' garlands at the Prayagraj Mahakumbh Mela went viral for her striking features.