Indian High Courts issue rulings on marriage promises and education quotas

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has granted bail to an astrologer accused of sexual intercourse under the false promise of marriage. The court noted that both parties were already married to other individuals and were aware of their existing marital statuses. Because the legal marriages had not been dissolved, the court found it complex to establish at a prima facie stage that the relationship was based on a fraudulent promise of marriage.

The case was initiated following a complaint from a 31-year-old woman who alleged that the accused, Vinod Kumar, advised her to seek a divorce from her husband and promised to marry her. She claimed she entered into a relationship based on this assurance, only to later discover he was involved with other women.

In a separate legal matter, the Madras High Court dismissed a petition seeking to impose an income ceiling for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students seeking admission under the 25 percent quota in private schools via the Right to Education Act. The petitioner argued that without an income limit, wealthy individuals from these communities could exploit the reservation. However, the court ruled that the Right to Education Act does not mandate an income cap for SC/ST students, noting that such decisions fall under government policy.