Unwed couples staying in hotel room is no crime: HC

Observing that a live-in relationship of two adults is not deemed to be an offence, the Madras High Court has said terming the occupation of a hotel room by such unmarried couples will not attract a criminal offence. "Apparently, there are no laws or regulations forbearing unmarried persons of the opposite sex to occupy hotel rooms as guests," Justice M S Ramesh said in a recent order.

He made the observations while directing authorities to de-seal a hire service apartment in Coimbatore, which was closed after a police and revenue team conducted a search following complaints of alleged immoral activities and found an unmarried couple and some liquor bottles in a room there in June this year.

While live-in-relationship of two adults was not deemed to be a crime, the occupation of hotel room by an unmarried couple would not attract an offence, the Judge said. That being the case, the extreme step of sealing the premises on the ground that an unmarried couple was occupying the premises is totally illegal in the absence of any law prohibiting the same, he said.

The petition said action was taken based on viral news on social media about the premises and action was taken after objection from women in the neighbourhood.