Blitz Bureau
THE Rajasthan High Court has ordered Government authorities to make it mandatory for persons in live-in relationships to enter into and register a live-in relationship agreement. Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand on January 29 ordered that such a system be put in place where couples would have to enter details of their plan for caring for any children that may be born out of their relationships. The contract must also contain details of how the male partner plans on paying maintenance of the female partner, if she is nonearning. The court added that the live-in relationship agreement must be registered by the competent authority/tribunal, to be established by the Government.
“Till enactment of the appropriate legislation by the Government, let competent Authority be established in each district of the State to look into the matter of registration of such live-in-relationships, who will address and redress the grievances of such partners/couples who have entered in such relationship and the children being born out therefrom. Let a Website or Webportal be launched in this regard for redressal of the issue arising out of such relationships,” the court ordered. The court also directed the State Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary, Department of Law and Justice, and the Secretary, Department of Justice and Social Welfare, New Delhi, to look into the matter and send a compliance report to the Court by March 1.
The court also made it clear that in its opinion, while live-in-relationships have been recognised by the Supreme Court, the concept is still not acceptable in the eyes of many. It made particular mention of the status of the female partner and children born to such relationships. It also made note of the fact that constitutional courts are inundated with petitions moved by couples in live-in-relationships seeking police protection in the face of threats from their families and society at large.
