One-liner: The Punjab and Haryana High Court has observed that merely because two adults are living together for a few days, their claim of a live-in relationship based on a bald averment may not be enough to hold that they are truly in a live-in-relationship.
Crux of the matter: Justice Manoj Bajaj observed that it has to be constantly borne in mind that the length of the relationship coupled with the discharge of certain duties towards each other makes such a relationship akin to marital relations.
Need to know: The counsel for the petitioners – an 18-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man – said that they were in love with each other and would marry on attaining the age of majority.
Woman's parents oppose: The parents of the woman opposed their relationship and decided to marry her to a man of their choice. But the woman ran away from the house and started a live-in relationship, the counsel said.
Threatened: The petitioners claimed as they were threatened to be implicated in a false criminal case, they sought necessary directions for providing them protection.
Legitimacy: No doubt, the other concept of live-in-relationship between two adults of the opposite gender has got recognition in India also, as the legislature has injected some legitimacy in this kind of alliance.
Petition dismissed with costs: In view of the above, the petition has been filed without a valid cause of action, therefore, the petitioners deserve to be saddled with costs. Resultantly, the writ petition is dismissed with costs of ₹25,000 to be borne by the petitioners.
Source: PTI