Bhopal, April 7: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has recognised the rights of women in live-in relationships, holding that a woman who has lived with a man for an extended period of time is entitled to maintenance upon their separation, regardless of whether or not they are formally married. The High Court rendered the decision while deliberating on a petitioner's appeal of a trial court ruling compelling him to provide a woman he had lived with a monthly payment of Rs 1,500, according to an NDTV report.

The court referenced the trial court's conclusion that the man and woman had been living as husband and wife and stressed that maintenance cannot be refused if there is "evidence of cohabitation" between the pair. Married Woman In a 15-Year Live In Relationship With Another Man Can Claim Maintenance, Says Bombay High Court.

The woman's entitlement to monthly maintenance was further determined by the court to be established by the birth of a child during the relationship. The noteworthy ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court underlines how complicated India's live-in relationship laws are. A standard civil code was introduced by Uttarakhand in February of this year, and one of its provisions required live-in relationships to be registered. HC on Wife's Maintenance: Wife Residing Away From Husband Without Any Reasonable Cause Not Entitled to Maintenance, Says Jharkhand High Court.

In February 2024, the Allahabad High Court noted that it was challenging for women to live alone following a split in a live-in relationship during the hearing of a bail plea in a case involving rape and fraudulent promises of marriage.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 07, 2024 02:12 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).