SC Dismisses PIL Seeking Social Security For People In Live-In Relationships, Says “Hare-Brained Petitions”

The Supreme Court dismissed a PIL on Monday, seeking directions to the Central Government to develop rules for the registration of live-in relationships and the social security of individuals who are in such relationships.

A bench of Justices led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala stated that the plea was misconceived and also called the petitioner’s intent into question.

“Are you attempting to increase these people’s security or are you attempting to prevent them from being in live-in relationships? Just hare-brained petitions; that is all,” before dismissing the petition, the CJI remarked.

The petition filed by the advocate Mamta Rani requested that individuals in live-in relationships be allowed social equality and security.

“Time and again, this Hon’ble Court has been the protector of the live-in partners and has passed numerous number of judgements that have the effect of giving protection to the members of the live-in partnership, be it the women, men, or even the children born out of such relationship,” the plea stated.

The refusal to register live-in relationships, according to the petitioner, violates the constitutional rights to live freely (Article 19), and the right to life protection (Article 21), and to personal liberty.

The petition also urged the creation of regulations to govern live-in relationships, as well as the urgent need for the Centre to develop a database to determine the actual number of persons in live-in relationships in the country.

The petitioner argued that this could only be accomplished by making live-in relationships mandatory to register.

The petitioner further claimed that the lack of regulations and procedures governing live-in relationships had resulted in a significant increase in crimes perpetrated by live-in partners, including severe crimes such as rape and murder.