LIVE-IN RELATIONSHIP

-BHARTI

Live-in relationship is a kind of relationship in which a couple live under a roof

in a domestic arrangement. The concept of live in relationship is defined neither
in dictionary nor in any law. There is no straight jacket formula for a live in
relationship. Until today no specific law on live-in relationship has passed by
the government. It can be defined as an arrangement where a heterosexual
couple lives together on a long term or on permanent basis in an emotionally or
sexually intimate relationship without entering into any legal and formal
relationship. Live-in relationship not only gives an opportunity to know each
other without being into legal relationship but also saves them from lengthy
legal process for separation as it takes in legally bound couples. It provides
opportunity to check compatibility between couples before getting legally
together.
There is no particular law in India for live-in relationship. There is no law
enacted for providing legal status to children born out of such relationship .The
Indian law does not give any rights or obligations to the parties of live in
relationships. Court has defined live-in relationship through various judgments.
Honorable Supreme Court in INDRA SARMA VS VKV SARMA (SC2012, Page no.
489) defined live-in relationship in five different ways. Protection of Women
from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 provide protection and maintenance to those
females who are not legally married. Section 125 of CRPC (legal right of
maintenance) now has been extended to partners of live in relationship.
Though live-in relationship is taken as taboo in our country and has no value in
eyes of law, but after a lot of unsuccessful marriages these days idea of live in
relationship may provide way to understand your partner and may be a way to
long life of a marriage. But the most horrible thing about such relationship is
suffering of children born out of such relationship. As many other concepts in
society this concept also have merits and demerits.