See, unlike Western countries, a Live-In Relationship is not recognized as a legal union in India, but that doesn’t mean it is not legal. Two adults can easily be in a live-in relationship and there will be no legal action taken against them. But you must understand the concept and the laws regarding this kind of relationship, you know, just to be in the safe zone.
First Of All, What Is A Live-In Relationship?
A live-in relationship is simply two adults staying under one roof when they are not even married. These types of arrangements are getting more popular in India, especially with the youth who want to live together to check if they are compatible or want to be life partners without the formal legal ties of marriage.
What’s The Legal Status of Live-In Relationships in India?
With the development and passing of time, the legal status and society’s perception in India changed much for live-in relationships. Even the Supreme Court, that is, the top court of India, recognized live-in relationships and provided some legal protection similar to those of a married couple. This court protection is premised on a myriad of decisions made in a bid to take care of the rights of people who opt to live together without getting married.
Legal Rights and Protections
People in a live-in relationship also have some legal protection under the law of India. One of the important laws that help women in live-in relationships almost in the same way as they are in married women, especially in cases of protection from abuse, is the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005. It is for that reason that women are now asking for financial support on some occasions, and the law is changing as society changes.
And if persons have lived together in a live-in relationship and have children from such a relationship, the children have a right in their shared household. Though they have the right to inherit and can claim a share in their parent’s property, which they might have earned, they don’t have an automatic claim on ancestral property. This law is to ensure that children are not discriminated against based on their parents’ marital status. But even with such legal recognition, couples in a live-in relationship in India are subjected to many social and legal challenges. There is a lot of social stigma, as the more traditional parts of society still look at such relationships with suspicion and dislike.
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