Madras High Court Advocates Legal Protection for Women in Live-In Relationships

The Madras High Court has ruled that women in live-in relationships should be granted the legal status of a 'wife' under the ancient concept of Gandharva marriage to ensure their protection. The court highlighted that live-in relationships, though increasingly common, lack the legal safeguards of marriage, leaving women vulnerable, especially when men withdraw promises of marriage. This ruling arose from a case where a man was accused of engaging in a sexual relationship under false assurances of marriage, invoking Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which criminalizes such deception.