The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking directions from the Centre for mandatory registration of live-in relationships, reported Live Law.
The petition contended that lack of rules on such relationships has led to an increase in crimes like rape and murder of live-in partners. The plea cited the gruesome murder of Shraddha Walkar as one of the reasons why live-in relationships need to be registered.
Walkar was murdered last year by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawalla who confessed to killing her and chopping her body into several pieces. He then threw the body parts at different places in Delhi over several days, the police said.
The petition argued that the registration of live-in relationship would provide accurate information to both the live-in partners about each other and also to the government about their marital status, criminal history and other details.
Notably, the Centre had clarified last year that matters related to live-in relationships are covered under provisions of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act.
On Monday, a Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud asked whether the petitioner was trying to prevent live-in relationships under the guise of seeking mandatory registration.
“What does the central government has to do with people living in live in relationships,” the bench asked. “Are you trying to foster the care, the security of these people or trying to prevent them from getting into live in relationships?”
The top court described the plea as a “hare brained petition” while dismissing it.
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