Live in Relationships: Everything you need to know about the live in laws in India

Cohabitation, also known as a live-in relationship, is legal in India. As a society, we may not approve of it on moral grounds but the law says that when two consenting adults are in love and in a relationship and wish to live together or share a home, they can do so lawfully. Our culture may not be okay with a couple living together under the same roof without tying the knot but as per the law that not illegal. You do not need to be tied in sacred matrimony in order to live together.

We all know that our generation has brought around a drastic change in society and helped change the mentality of people as well. We have truly started moving towards modernisation and have started boycotting repressive practices. The same way we have brought around some very progressive thoughts and practises starting with the decriminalisation of Section 377 and giving way to homosexuality.

Similarly, the marriage laws too need to change with time but considering that we cannot convince the society to change the norms and laws around marriage, we have brought around the concept of a live-in relationship which allows a couple to stay together without being bound by the laws of marriage. This means that any party to the relationship can walk out of the relationship without any legal trouble and they do not have to be bound by the obligations of marriage. This saves people from the hassle of family drama and court procedures.

As per the Indian law, an unmarried adult male and an unmarried adult female can share a home without having a legal obligation or responsibility towards each other but other than this a live-in relationship between an adult unmarried female and an adult married male or vice versa is punishable by the Indian Penal Code. As per the Indian laws, when a couple lives together like a husband and wife, the law would presume them to be married and the same laws would apply to them in case of children but any partner can walk out of the relationship because there is no law which binds them together. This kind of relationship does not have legal status but the Domestic Violence Act does apply to this kind of relationship and the right to maintenance depends upon the facts of the case. The law also provides inheritance rights to the children born out of such a relationship and also gives them the legal status of legitimacy.