SC junks PIL for registration of live-in relationships: 'hare-brained idea'

The petitioner had referred to the recent killing of Shraddha Walkar allegedly by her live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala to seek framing of rules and guidelines for registration of such relationships.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a direction to the Centre to frame rules for registration of couples in live-in relationship, terming it a “hare-brained” idea. The plea, filed by lawyer Mamta Rani last month, had cited alleged increase in rape and murder crimes committed by live-in partners and had referred to the recent killing of Shraddha Walkar.

The plea was filed last month seeking direction to the Centre for framing of rules to register live-in relationships.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, asked the lawyer whether she wanted to foster the security of these couples or wanted them not to get into live-in relationships. The counsel replied that the petitioner wanted the relationship to be registered to enhance their social security.

"What does the Centre has to do with registration of live-in relationships? What kind of hare-brained idea is this? It is high time this court start imposing cost on petitioners who file these kinds of PILs. Dismissed," the bench also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said.

The petitioner had sought framing of rules and guidelines for registration of such relationships and submitted that it would lead to accurate information being available to both the live-in partners about each other and also to the government about each of them regarding their marital status, criminal history and other relevant details.

Besides the increase in crimes like rape and murder, the plea also stated there has been a "huge increase in false rape cases filed by women wherein they claim to be living in live-in relationships with the accused, and it is always difficult for the courts to find out from the evidence whether the fact of living in live-in relationships is proved by the backing of evidence".

(With PTI inputs)