New Delhi: Live-in relationship is neither a crime nor a sin, the Supreme Court has held while asking the Parliament to frame laws for protection of women in such relationship and children born out of it.
The apex court said unfortunately, there is no express statutory provision to regulate live-in relationships upon termination as these relationships are not in the nature of marriage and not recognised in law.
In the landmark judgement, a bench headed by Justice K.S. Radhakri-shnan framed guidelines for bringing live-in relationship within the expression ‘relationship in the nature of marriage’ for protection of women from Domestic Violence Act.
“Parliament has to ponder over these issues, bring in legislation or make a proper amendment of the Act, so that women and the children, born out of such relationships be protected, tho-ugh those types of relationship might not be a relationship in the nature of a marriage,” the bench said.
“Live-in or marriage like relationship is neither a crime nor a sin though socially unacceptable in this country. The decision to marry or not or to have a heterosexual relationship is intensely personal,” it said.
The SC said a law is needed as it is the woman who invariably suffers because of breakdown of such relationship.
“We cannot, however, lose sight of the fact that inequities do exist in such relationships and on breaking down such relationship, the woman invariably is the sufferer,” it said, noting “Live-in relationship has not been socially accepted in India, unlike many other countries”.
The SC, however, said that legislature cannot promote pre-marital sex and people may express their opinion, for and against.
