Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has ordered that live-in relationships be registered by a government-established authority or tribunal, pending legislative action on the matter. The court has directed that all live-in relationships be registered until further legislation is enacted by the Union and state governments.

Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand, while issuing this directive, instructed the state and Union governments to create a legal format for registration, with compliance expected by March 1. The ruling stemmed from a writ petition filed by a married woman from Fatehabad, Haryana, seeking protection while in a live-in relationship with a man from Sikar district.

In addition to the registration order, Justice Dhand urged the Chief Justice to form a larger bench to tackle the issue of granting protection to married individuals cohabiting with unmarried partners or married people from different marriages. Highlighting the urgency of a law on live-in relationships, the court called for legislative action by the Centre and state governments. Until such laws are passed, the court has instructed the creation of competent authorities in each district to handle the registration and address grievances related to live-in relationships.

The court also addressed the responsibility of male and female partners in live-in relationships, calling for clear plans for the education, health, and upbringing of children born from such unions. Additionally, the court stressed that male partners must be held accountable for the maintenance of non-earning female partners and children from these relationships.

While society often disapproves of live-in relationships, the court made it clear that such unions are not legally prohibited, with many couples seeking judicial protection from threats posed by their families. The high court's ruling aims to ensure uniformity and clarity in handling such cases, as courts continue to see an increasing number of petitions from live-in couples seeking protection.