Allahabad High Court Upholds Rights of Couple in Live-In Relationship

Court Ruling on Live-In Relationships

On Wednesday, the Allahabad High Court provided legal protection to a couple engaged in a consensual live-in relationship, asserting that a married man cohabiting with an adult woman does not constitute a criminal act.

The case was initiated by the woman's family, who opposed the relationship, claiming that the man's marital status rendered it illegal.

Justices JJ Munir and Tarun Saxena dismissed this argument, clarifying that there is no legal violation in a married man living with an adult in a consensual arrangement.

“Morality and law must be distinguished,” the court emphasized, stating that if no legal offense is established, societal norms and moral judgments should not influence judicial actions aimed at safeguarding citizens' rights.

The court highlighted that the woman had previously approached the Shahjahanpur police chief, expressing her desire to live with her partner freely and reporting threats from her family.

It was noted that her complaint had not been acted upon, and the court stressed the police's responsibility to ensure the safety of two consenting adults living together.

The court ordered that neither the woman nor her partner should face harm or arrest and prohibited her family from contacting them or entering their residence in any manner.

Additionally, the Shahjahanpur police chief was made personally accountable for the couple's safety, as reported by legal news sources.

The bench has allowed the state counsel a two-week period to submit a counter-affidavit.