Rajasthan High Court makes contract mandatory for live-in relationships
The Court ordered that such a system be put in place where couples would have to enter details of their plan for caring for any children that may be born out of their relationships.In a verdict of significant import, the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday ordered government authorities to make it mandatory for persons in live-in relationships to enter into and register a live-in relationship agreement.
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand ordered that such a system be put in place where couples would have to enter details of their plan for caring for any children that may be born out of their relationships.Â
The contract must also contain details of how the male partner plans on paying maintenance of the female partner, if she is non-earning.
“Until a legislation is framed by the Centre as well as the State Government, a scheme of statutory nature is required to be formulated in legal format. Let a format be prepared by the appropriate authority making it necessary for the couples/partners desiring to enter into such live-in-relationship, to fill the format, with the following terms and conditions, before entering into such live-in-relationship:
1 Fixing liability of the male and female partners in the form of child plan to bear the education, health and upbringing responsibility of the children born out of such relationship.Â
2 Fixing liability of the male partner for maintenance of the non-earning female partner residing in such relation and children born out of such relationship.”
The Court added that the live-in relationship agreement must be registered by the Competent authority/tribunal, to be established by the government.
“Till enactment of the appropriate legislation by the Government, let competent Authority be established in each district of the State to look into the matter of registration of such live-in-relationships, who will address and redress the grievances of such partners/couples who have entered in such relationship and the children being born out therefrom. Let a Website or Webportal be launched in this regard for redressal of the issue arising out of such relationships,” the Court ordered.Â
The Court also directed the State Chief Secretary, the Principal Secretary, Department of Law and Justice, and the Secretary, Department of Justice and Social Welfare, New Delhi to look into the matter and send a compliance report to the Court by March 1.