Live-in
relationships are more about infatuation for the opposite sex, lack sincerity
and often result in timepass, said the Allahabad High Court while refusing to
grant police protection to an interfaith couple.
The
observations were made while the high court was hearing a petition filed
jointly by a Hindu woman and her Muslim partner challenging an FIR lodged
against the Muslim man by the woman's aunt under Section 366 of the Indian
Penal Code (IPC). In their petition before court, the interfaith couple sought
protection from the police and told the court that the couple had decided to
"remain in a live-in relationship".
Hearing
the petition, a bench of Justice Rahul Chaturvedi and Justice Azhar Husain
Idri, said, "The court feels that such type of relationship is more of
infatuation than to have stability and sincerity. Unless and until the couple
decides to marry and give the name of their relationship or they are sincere
towards each other, the court shuns and avoids expressing any opinion on such a
type of relationship."
The
woman petitioner, through her lawyer, told the court that she is 20-years-old
and has every right to decide on her future and she has chosen petitioner
number 2 as her boyfriend with whom she wants to have a live-in relationship.
The lawyer for the informant,
the girl's aunt, told the court that the aunt vehemently opposes the plea,
contending that the girl's partner is already facing an FIR under the UP
Gangster Act and that he is a "roadside Romeo" and a "vagabond"
who has no future, and in all certainty, "would ruin the life of the
girl".
The court expressed its
reservation about such a relationship and noted that such relations are often a
result of infatuation without sincerity and often result in timepass.
The court also refused to grant any protection to the petitioner, adding
that its views should not be misconstrued that the court is passing any remark
or validating such type of relationship of the petitioners or protecting them
from any legal proceeding instituted following the law.