LEGAL CONUNDRUM OF LIVE-IN RELATIONSHIP IN INDIA: A JUDICIAL APPROACH

Abstract

The ideas of how men and women interact with one another and the attitude toward cohabitation, in general, have changed significantly with the advent of the post-modern or industrial society. “Live-in relationships” are an expression of a couple’s decision to cohabitate as a couple without getting married. The modernisation of the community has brought an array of new ideas and values. With the affection growing towards each other and the decision to tie the knot after taking into consideration all the prospects of a healthy marriage, youngsters these days believe in living together before marriage to test compatibility, known as “live-in relationships.” However, with modernisation comes the traditional thinking of our culture and the mindset of people towards these practices. Acknowledging the legal implications of the “live-in relationship” along with the challenges youngsters are facing nowadays, this paper highlights the analysis of laws that govern this practice in India.

Keywords

• live-in-relationship
• cohabitation
• civilisation
• succession
• inheritance
• agreement
• sapinda