Rajasthan High Court makes contracts mandatory for live-in relationships

A single-judge bench of the Rajasthan High Court has directed the state government to launch a web portal to register live-in relationships till the enactment of appropriate legislation.

Hearing a bunch of pleas filed by several live-in couples seeking protection, Justice Annop Kumar Dhand said that while such relationships may seem appealing, the problems likely to arise are many.

"Several couples are residing in live-in relationships and are facing threat and danger from their families and society for non-acceptance of their relationship status. Hence, they are approaching the courts by way of filing writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution, seeking protection under Article 21. As a result, courts are inundated with such petitions," the bench noted.

"The idea of live-in relationship may seem to be unique and appealing but in reality, the problems likely to arise are many and challenging. The status of a woman in such a relationship is not that of a wife and lacks social approval or sanctity," it said.

The bench noted that the live-in-relationship agreement is liable to be registered by a competent authority or tribunal, which is required to be established by the government.

"Till the enactment of an appropriate legislation by the government, let a competent authority be established in each district to look into the matter of registering live-in relationships that will address and redress the grievances of such partners/couples who have entered into such a relationship and the children being born out therefrom.

"Let a website or web portal be launched in this regard for the redressal of the issue arising out of such a relationship," the court said.

It directed that a copy of the order be sent to the chief secretary, principal secretary of the department of law and justice and the secretary of department of justice and social welfare, New Delhi to look into the matter and do the needful.

"They are further directed to send a compliance report to this court on or before 01.03.2025 and apprise this court about the steps being taken by them," the bench said.

The court also referred to a larger bench of the high court to decide if married persons opting for live-in relationships without dissolving their marriage are entitled to seek a protection order from the court.