Crucial to safeguard rights of live-in couples, observes Punjab and Haryana High Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has noted that the rights of adults in a live-in relationship must be safeguarded, regardless of their marital status or other personal circumstances.

This protection is necessary to guard against threats from moral vigilantes or close relatives, the HC observed.

In a separate ruling, the court determined that protection for minors involved in a live-in relationship, whether one or both partners are underage, would violate statutory regulations.


In such cases, custody of the minor should be returned to their parents. If there is a perceived immediate threat to the minor’s life, the court should refer to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

The minor may be placed in a children's home or a nari niketan until reaching adulthood, according to the division bench of Justice Sureshwar Thakur and Justice Sudeepti Sharma.

This decision came as the court addressed whether protection should be extended to individuals in live-in relationships without considering their marital status or other factors.

The issue was originally brought before a single bench led by Justice Anil Kshetarpal in May 2021, which then referred it to a larger bench for a broader decision.

(With inputs from TOI)