PIL In Supreme Court Seeks Mandatory Registration Of Live-In Relationships

The plea, which referred to the recent case of Shraddha Walkar also sought framing of rules and guidelines for registration of such relationships

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 28 February 2023 4:01 pm

An artists tribute to Shraddha Walkar

A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre to frame rules for registration of live-in relationships as it cited increase in crimes like rape and murder allegedly committed by live-in partners.

The PIL said registration of live-in relationship would lead to accurate information being available to both the live-in partners about each other and also to the government regarding their marital status, their criminal history and other relevant details.

Besides the increase in crimes like rape and murder, the plea, filed by lawyer Mamta Rani, said there has been a "huge increase in the false rape cases being filed by the women wherein the women claims to be living in live-in relationships with the accused and it is always difficult for the courts to find out from the evidence whether the fact of living in live-in relationship is proved by the backing of evidence".

Recent cases

The plea, which referred to the recent case of Shraddha Walkar who was killed by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala, also sought framing of rules and guidelines for registration of such relationships. After he killed her, Aaftab allegedly cut Shraddha's body in 35 pieces and disposed them in Delhi's forests in batches. In the meantime, he allegedly stored the pieces in their fridge. An autopsy report revealed that the body of Shraddha Walkar, was cut up into pieces with a saw.

In another similar case, a man, Sahil Gehlot, allegedly strangled his girlfriend, stuffed her body inside a refrigerator of his dhaba (eatery) in southwest Delhi, and went off to marry another woman the same day. He has been arrested.

Currently, there is no law specifically addressing live-in relationships, but the Indian judiciary has developed jurisprudence over the years through a series of judgements. According to the SC judgment in Badri Prasad Vs Dy. Director of Consolidation (1978) live-in relationships in India are legal but subject to caveats like age of marriage, consent and soundness of mind.

(With inputs from PTI)