Live-In Relationships Harm Women More Than Men: Allahabad High Court Observes in Bail Order

In a case involving the alleged sexual exploitation of a woman under the false promise of marriage, the Allahabad High Court referenced the concept of live-in relationships. The judge stated that the idea of live-in relationships goes against the established norms of the Indian middle-class society. The court also expressed concern over the rising number of such cases.

Justice Siddharth of the High Court was hearing the bail plea of accused Shaan-e-Alam. He faces charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act. It is alleged that he established physical relations with a young woman on the pretext of marriage and later refused to marry her. Considering the fact that the accused has been in jail since February 25, has no prior criminal record, the nature of the allegations, and overcrowding in prisons, the court granted him bail.

The court observed:

"After the Supreme Court legally recognized live-in relationships, such cases have increasingly come before the courts. These cases arise because live-in relationships contradict the established legal and cultural norms of the Indian middle class."

The court further stated that live-in relationships disproportionately harm women. "Men move on and even get married after such relationships end, but for women, finding a new partner after a breakup becomes extremely difficult," the judge said.

The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the accused’s actions have ruined the woman’s life and that no one would now be willing to marry her. Taking these arguments into consideration, the court commented that live-in relationships have had the most significant impact on the younger generation, and the negative consequences are evident in cases like this.